San Francisco, renowned for its botanical wonders, is gearing up for another extraordinary event – the blooming of the Corpse Flower named “Mirage” at the California Academy of Sciences. This botanical marvel, a gift from the Conservatory of Flowers in 2017, is expected to unfurl its large flowering body in the coming days.
Last year, the city witnessed the spectacle of “Scarlet,” one of the oldest corpse flowers, captivating crowds at the Conservatory of Flowers. The captivating event drew patrons who eagerly waited to catch a glimpse and a whiff of the nearly ten-foot-tall flower. While “Scarlet” took the spotlight, the California Academy of Sciences houses another equally magnificent Corpse Flower – “Mirage.”
In an Instagram post, the museum announced, “Mirage, a Corpse Flower (Amorphophallus titanum) that the Conservatory of Flowers donated to the California Academy of Sciences in 2017, is about to bloom.” The vast majority of San Francisco’s corpse flowers reside in the Conservatory of Flowers, with the greenhouse currently hosting five individual examples – “Scarlet, Chanel, Amor, Summa, and Terra.”
Mirage, having been gifted to the museum at one or two years old, has been quietly preparing for its moment. The Corpse Flower, known for its lengthy maturation process, takes seven to nine years to reach maturity. Once mature, it blooms for a brief two or three days, during which its terracotta-colored interior and distinctive aroma attract pollinators.
The post on Cal Academy’s Instagram notes, “Blooms are rare, so keep an eye out for updates on Mirage in the next couple of days.” Given the viral popularity of past blooms, locals and visitors alike eagerly await the captivating display at Golden Gate Park’s cultural space, prepared to witness the unique phenomenon in person.
