Botanic Garden will soon smell like death The infamous Titan Arum is set to bloom this week at the U.S. Botanic Garden, and when it does, the plant will release a smell reminiscent of rotting flesh. Since the "corpse flower" only blooms once every several years and its stench is notorious, crowds are gathering in anticipation. Published: July 16, 2013 at 5:14 PM By Aubrey Pringle -- Medill News Service WASHINGTON, July 16 -- What's that smell? Nothing yet. The odorous, soon-to-bloom Titan Arum plant is drawing eager crowds at the U.S. Botanic Garden. The six-foot Indonesian flower has been on display since July 11, and officials said it will likely bloom Wednesday. When it does open - which only happens once every several years - the Titan Arum emits a smell reminiscent of rotting flesh, earning it the nickname "corpse flower."