The United States Botanic Garden in DC, a wonderful, under-appreciated, gem on the National Mall, is currently displaying their Titan Arum, the infamous "corpse flower" which blooms infrequently every several years and only for two days. When blooming, the plant emits a horrific odor that smells like rotting meat in order to attract insects to pollinate it. (You may be familiar with it through a Simpson's episode that had such a flower blooming in Springfield.)
As it could bloom at any time, I went last Friday to visit it. Alas, it hadn't bloomed and looked pretty much like a giant ear of corn. I took the picture below. As of this morning, it has remained only a potential smelly experience, but it's lost the green leaves.
The Garden has a live webcam which I've been following and as soon as it does bloom, I'm heading over to see/smell it. There aren't a lot of these plants on display and they bloom so infrequently, I don't want to miss the opportunity.
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