Visitor InformationAmorphophallus titanum "Perry"
Location
The corpse flower is located on the third floor greenhouse of the College’s Alfred Nobel Hall of Science. Signs will be posted near the College’s various entrances to direct visitors to appropriate parking areas and to the Nobel Hall of Science.
Hours
During the bloom, visitors are welcome to see and smell Perry. There is no cost to visit.
Friday, June 3 from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Saturday, June 4 from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
What’s the stink about?
The corpse flower, also known to botanists as Amorphophallus titanum, is a rare flowering plant that is only found naturally in the tropical rainforests of Sumatra, Indonesia. With the largest unbranched inflorescence in the world, the corpse flower’s name comes from the repulsive scent it emits during the hours after it blooms.
Corpse flower at Gustavus
The corpse flower at Gustavus Adolphus College is affectionately known as “Perry”. When Perry produced an inflorescence in May of 2007, more than 7,000 people came to see the rare plant, which was the first of its kind to bloom in the state of Minnesota. It has since flowered again (Perry II) in July 2010, (Perry III) in October 2013, and (Perry IV) in June 2016.
Perry came to the College when Professor of Chemistry Brian O’Brien received 20 seeds in 1993 from a San Francisco physician named James Symon. After years of careful cultivation, the plant finally bloomed for the first time in 2007.
View the webcam
For those who cannot make the trip down to St. Peter, the College has set up a live webcam which can be accessed by going online to https://gustavus.edu/perry. Questions about visiting the corpse flower can be directed to the Office of Marketing and Communication at 507-933-7520.