"Bella"
UNC Charlotte's Titan Arum bloomed for the second time in her life June 22-June 24, 2010.
Thank you to everyone who came out to share in her spectacle and to support the greenhouse and gardens (her humble caretakers)!
Wow- that was QUICK! Like a chance siting of a movie star, you can hardly believe you are seeing a celebrity before she has ducked into a limo and driven off. We believe the super-high temperatures contributed to Bella's rapid aging (we were all fading quickly in the heat!). Most likely she was fully open and at her stinkiest during the middle of the night between Tuesday the 22nd & Wednesday the 23rd. By the end of the 24th, her petal-like spathe was withered and we pronounced the bloom over on the 25th. Thanks to the speed of communications these days, the word got out quickly and we estimate that we had about 4,000 visitors over a 3 day period. We did attempt pollination, and now we are waiting to see if that "took" - if there are "baby Bellas" in our future. In the meantime we still have T-shirts, bags, and even plants that are smaller relatives of the Titan Arum for sale (you can experience a similar smell in your own back-yard!)- and, of course, all the normal botanical attractions in the greenhouse and outdoor gardens. Visitors are welcome year-round - see here for more details.
See the select images below and click on links to the upper right to see a series of pictures of her growth in 2010 and in 2007, plus a short video announcing her (then) impending bloom.
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Plant & Gardening Info 
Claire and Grady - clearly thrilled to be among the first to smell-a Bella.
Mostly Cloudy 80 oF