Titan Sunshine

Sunshine the Corpse Flower

Sunshine the titan arum

Sunshine the corpse flower was in full, gorgeous bloom in August 2017. Sunshine was our first titan arum to be displayed outside, in the Sensory Garden.

The corpse flower, or titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum), is an unpredictable plant that can grow 6 to 8 feet tall and unleash a rotten stench to attract pollinators.

Sunshine the titan arum, viewed through infrared photography

Infrared photography is used to monitor the bloom to estimate the best time to pollinate.

Haven't you had other titan arums bloom?
Yes; we've been lucky. The Garden began collecting titan arums in 2003, as part of a worldwide conservation effort to preserve the species. Many of our titans were acquired at the same time, which is why the Garden has had several ready to bloom in a short time period. But whether a titan arum blooms, or when, is always an open question.

Why did you move Sunshine outside?
We wanted to display the corpse flower in a more natural setting; our other titan arums were displayed in a greenhouse. A native of the equatorial rainforests on the island of Sumatra, the corpse flower thrives in heat, humidity, and shade.

Our scientists and horticulturists tracked Sunshine’s growth and development in the fresh air, Chicago’s unpredictable summer weather, and yep, its namesake, sunshine.

Comparison chart showing growth of the Chicago Botanic Garden's titan arum blooms.

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Sunshine's Growth Chart

Date:	Height:
8/20/2017 p.m.	Sunshine Blooms!
8/20/2017	65.25"
8/19/2017	65"
8/18/2017	64.5"
8/17/2017	64.25"
8/16/2017	63.5"
8/15/2017	61.25"
8/14/2017	59"
8/13/2017	56.5"
8/12/2017	54.5"
8/11/2017	51.25"
8/10/2017	48"
8/09/2017	45.25"
8/08/2017	42.25
8/07/2017	39.5"
8/06/2017	36.75"
8/05/2017	32.5"
8/04/2017	29.25"
8/03/2017	27"
8/02/2017	25.5"
8/01/2017	24.25"
7/31/2017	23.25"
7/30/2017	22.25"
7/29/2017	20.75"
7/28/2017	20.5"
7/27/2017	18"

The Garden’s Corpse Flower Family

Spike was the Garden’s first corpse flower to begin its bloom cycle in August 2015. Spike ultimately lacked the energy to open—showing us just how unpredictable these plants are.

Alice the Amorphophallus bloomed in September 2015. Both Spike and Alice came to the Garden from the University of California, Berkeley, in 2003.

Sprout bloomed in April 2016. Sprout was germinated from a seed that was sent to the Garden from the University of California, Berkeley, in 2008.

Persephone was given to Garfield Park Conservatory and bloomed there in June 2016. This titan arum also was grown from seed sent to us in 2008 from UC Berkeley.

Java and Sumatra bloomed in succession on May 30 and June 1, 2017.

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The Sensory Garden

Stopping by the The Sensory Garden? See the map below for location details.

Time-lapse footage courtesy of The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens, August 2014. Photos taken every 20 minutes from 9:10 a.m. at the start of bloom to 8:50 a.m. the following day.

Click to view Life Cycle