World's largest flower Amorphophallus Titanum blooms in Japan

Tourists from around the world have been flocking to Chofu botanical gardens on the outskirts of Tokyo. In order to catch their once in a lifetime glimpse at the monstrous Titan Arum or 'Amorphophallus Titanum'.

How big is the flower?

The flower is said to be around 6.5 feet tall and smells of rotten meat, fittingly giving it the nickname of the 'Corpse Flower' due to the pungent smell it emits.

Origins

Originally from the steep jungles of Western Sumatra, the Titan Arum has been a victim of the regions severe deforestation. Recently the International Union for Conservation of Nature classified the species as 'vulnerable', one stage below endangered.

It is a notoriously difficult flower to grow and the Chofu botanical gardens have battled over the past five years in order to grow the giant.

The garden has had to extend its opening hours in order to deal with the vast crowds the flower is attracting which only remains in bloom for one to two days.