For all of you Perry the Corpse Flower fans out there, Perry’s smaller cousin, Ruby, is now putting on a spectacular display, both visual and olfactory, in the Gustavus greenhouse (click here and here for posts on Ruby and her/his fans from last spring, along with graphic descriptions of his/her vile/sublime fragrance).
Below are thumbnails linking to some photos taken today (Tuesday…) of Tom Oelfke, Nick Murray, and your faithful blogger of things aroidal. Please stop by for a look, and perhaps a sniff, during the next few days – Ruby’s inflorescence will not last long. For those of you who are blessed with serendipitous propensities, your visit might coincide with interaction with one of a number of humans who can let you into the greenhouse to experience Ruby’s highly intense fragrance. My personal impression is that the fragrance is quite a bit more foul than Perry’s, even though Perry produced a more voluminous plume.
‘Animalic’, within the context of perfumery, refers to odors associated with animals. Ruby’s fragrance fits the bill. His/her appearance also fits…that of a deceased animal. Hey, that’s one way to go if you want to be pollinated by flies or other such creatures…
Ruby & Tom, May 5, 2009
Ruby & Nick, May 5, 2009
Ruby & Brian, May 5, 2009