Morris Arboretum Says Strong-Stomached Visitors Might Like Impending Event
By Lynne Adkins
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Morris Arboretum, in Chestnut Hill, has some unique plants that are just about ready to bloom.
They're four feet tall and will bloom for just a few days.
That may be a good thing, says Shelley Dillard, a "propagator" at the arboretum who explains that the aroma of this flower will take your breath away -- or your appetite.
"It's called the voodoo lily. Some people call it the 'carrion lily' because when it blooms it smells like dead flesh," she tells KYW Newsradio, adding, "When it starts to bloom I have to take it outside -- I can't leave it inside."
The purple bloom could be up to three feet tall and will only last about three days.
Dillard says the plant is edible -- used as medicine in some cultures -- and can be made into flour for noodles. But she admits she's not brave enough to try that dish.