Press Releases
It’s Back! Stinky “Voodoo Lily” Plant Now Blooming at the Minnesota Zoo
Similar to corpse flower, plant known for foul, rotting smell
Apple Valley, MINN – February 22, 2013 – Similar to a corpse flower – known for its rotting, deadly
smell – a “voodoo lily” is once again blooming at the Minnesota Zoo. For the third year in a row,
the unique lily is expected to become much more noticeable in the coming days as its odor
becomes much more pungent.
Located near the Bali mynah exhibit along the Zoo’s Tropics Trail, the flower – which stands four feet
high – has a foul, nauseous odor that attracts insects (mainly flies) to the lily plant for pollination.
Native to Japan, China and Indonesia, voodoo lilies are also known as “Devil’s Tongue” or
scientifically as Amorphophallus konjac. It is a member of the Aracaea family (Arum family) which
includes the native Minnesota species, jack-in-the-pulpit and calla lily.
Each year, the tuber-like ‘corm’ produces a single leaf, which looks like a small tree. When the corms
reach a certain age and size – instead of forming a leaf – they will produce a single “inflorescence,” a
combination of many small flowers and their parts. Typically the inflorescence has female flowers on
the bottom of the spadix and male flowers above them.
The Minnesota Zoo is open daily from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
The Minnesota Zoo is located in Apple Valley, just minutes south of Mall of America. For more
information, call 952.431.9500 or visit mnzoo.org. The Minnesota Zoo is an accredited member of
the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and an institutional member of the World
Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA).
