Rafflesia

The rafflesia produces the largest single flower in the world. The flower can be over 3 feet wide and weigh up to 24 pounds. It is found in the rainforests of Southeast Asia. The rafflesia is famous for smelling like rotting meat.

The Biggest Flower

A rafflesia flower takes about nine months to develop and then blooms for only about a week. The flower has five thick, spotted petals that are reddish-orange. It has no leaves, stems, or roots of its own. The rafflesia is a parasite that lives inside a vine and only appears when it is time to bloom.

The Terrible Smell

The rafflesia smells like rotting meat, earning it the nickname corpse flower. This horrible smell attracts flies that pollinate the flower. The flies think they are landing on rotting food. As they crawl around, they pick up pollen and carry it to other rafflesia flowers.

Fun Facts

• The rafflesia flower can be over 3 feet wide and weigh up to 24 pounds.
• The rafflesia has no leaves, stems, or roots of its own.
• A rafflesia flower blooms for only about 5 to 7 days.

Did You Know?

The rafflesia is so rare and hard to find that scientists still do not fully understand how it lives. It spends most of its life hidden inside a vine with no visible parts!