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The Beast at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, on loan from Grand Valley State University

“This is an exciting and unique thing to experience,” said Steve LaWarre, Senior Vice President of Horticulture at Meijer Gardens. “We are thrilled that we are able to display another corpse flower thanks to GVSU. We are extremely thankful for the collaboration between our organizations.”

The bloom emits a strong odor resembling that of rotting flesh or a decaying animal, which is how it got the name “corpse flower.” Its distinctive odor attracts pollinators, including carrion beetles and flesh flies, that feed on dead animals and is at its most pungent during peak bloom. The corpse flower can grow up to 10 feet tall and 4 feet wide. Its leaf structure can reach up to 20 feet in height and 16 feet across. Although the enormous plant in bloom resembles one giant flower, it actually comprises a fleshy central spike called a spadix that holds two rings of male and female flowers, wrapped by the frilly spathe, a modified leaf that resembles a petal.

While the corpse flower’s bloom is short-lived, the plant itself can live for 40 years or more. It spends much of its life cycle as a dormant underground tuber. The corpse flower is native to the rainforests of Sumatra, Indonesia and was first reported in 1878.

“Barbara Kindschi Greenhouse staff members at Grand Valley were definitely surprised to see our Amorphaphallus tintanum starting to bloom again so soon after the last bloom in the spring of 2022,” said Christina Hipshier, greenhouse supervisor. “We are grateful for the help from Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in displaying The Beast. Considering that this bloom is happening during a time when most students are not on campus, we are excited for the visibility that this collaboration will bring.”

GVSU’s plant, which was donated in 2015 by Tim Strickler, professor emeritus of biomedical sciences, bloomed for the first time just two years ago.
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About Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, one of the world’s most significant botanic and sculpture experiences, was recently listed in the top 45 most visited museums in the world and the 30 most visited museums in the United States by The Art Newspaper, the leading global art news publication. Education programs welcome 80,000 students and guests each year. Culinary Arts & Events offerings include weddings, corporate meetings and award-winning catering. The 158-acre main campus features Michigan’s largest tropical conservatory; one of the country’s largest interactive children’s gardens; arid and Victorian gardens with bronze sculptures by Edgar Degas and Auguste Rodin; a carnivorous plant house; outdoor gardens, including a replica 1930s-era farm garden; an eight-acre Japanese garden featuring contemporary sculpture; and a 1,900-seat outdoor Amphitheater Garden, showcasing an eclectic mix of world-renowned touring musicians each summer. The permanent collection highlights hundreds of sculptures from internationally acclaimed artists Magdalena Abakanowicz, El Anatsui, Louise Bourgeois, Alexander Calder, Mark di Suvero, Marshall Fredericks, Henry Moore, Michele Oka Donor, Beverly Pepper, Jaume Plensa, Auguste Rodin, Richard Serra, Yinka Shonibare CBE and Ai Weiwei, among others. Indoor galleries with changing sculpture exhibitions have hosted shows by Jonathan Borofsky, Edgar Degas, Jim Dine, Laura Ford, Richard Hunt, Rebecca Louise Law, Pablo Picasso, George Segal and others.

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park (www.MeijerGardens.org) promotes the enjoyment, understanding and appreciation of gardens, sculpture, the natural environment, and the arts.

Media Contact:
John VanderHaagen
Director of Communications
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
616-975-3180
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