Corpse flower blooms in Toa Payoh -- and it looks totally different just days later
The elusive corpse flower made an appearance in Toa Payoh recently.
Also called the elephant foot yam, it is known for its vibrant shade of red and foul smell.
Stomper Joyc spotted the rare plant in front of Block 144 Lorong 2 Toa Payoh on the evening of July 15.
She shared photos and video of the flower blooming next to a tree.
Joyc said: "I had a blocked nose so I couldn't tell if there was a smell, but I heard people saying there was."
Never one to miss out on any exotic flora and fauna, Stomp's resident wildlife expert John Lee also dropped by to get a glimpse of the corpse flower on the night of July 21.
Alas, the plant was already wilting and shrivelled, as seen in a picture taken by John.
The Wildlife Asia (Singapore) founder told Stomp: "There was a bit of a smell when the wind blew in my direction."
The corpse flower blooms once every few years, typically for at most three days before it starts to wilt. It has medical properties and can grow up to 2.5 metres in height.
As rare as the plant is, this is John's fourth encounter with it. Lucky!
