A morbid curiosity: Smelly voodoo lily in bloom at Summit Sprouts in Hayden

HAYDEN — Inside the hot, humid greenhouse at Summit Sprouts, Sarah Dormer leaned in close to the blooming amorphophallus konjac, took a deep breath and recoiled, gagging.

Amorphophallus konjac is also called voodoo lily, devil’s tongue and snake palm. The plant is a relative of the titan arum, better known as the corpse flower, and though the voodoo lily is smaller than its cousin, the plants share other qualities — including an overpowering stench of decay while in bloom. 

Native to warm subtropical to tropical areas of eastern Asia, the voodoo lily blooms once a year on average, for just a few days. Many people have never had a chance to see or smell one because they’re mostly grown in conservatories. 

“It’s once in a lifetime for a lot of people,” Hunter Kennedy, owner of Summit Sprouts, said Friday. 

While the voodoo lily is in bloom at Summit Sprouts, located at 37 W. Wyoming Ave. in Hayden, the public is welcome to get a look at this rare plant — and, if they dare, take a whiff. 

“One of our coworkers almost threw up,” Kennedy said with a laugh. 

The plant is about 16 years old and stands about 4 feet tall. It is not a single flower but an inflorescence, which is a stalk of many flowers. 

Many flowers attract bees and butterflies as pollinators. But carrion flowers like the voodoo lily emit an odor similar to rotting flesh that attracts scavenging flies and beetles. The plant’s burgundy color also helps it to mimic a decaying corpse, confusing pollinators. 

“Since they bloom so rarely, carrion flowers build up a lot of energy and some of them actually produce a little bit of heat in that central stalk,” said Dormer, an employee at Summit Sprouts. “It really helps not just to disperse the smell but to attract flies and other carrion eaters.” 

Kennedy said the voodoo lily represents a larger effort to bring exotic and novelty plants to Summit Sprouts, formerly Judy’s Greenhouse, and otherwise expand its offerings. The late Judy Cardwell founded the business in 1985. Kennedy is the fourth owner. 

This spring is Kennedy’s second at the helm. 

“We’re changing the game around here,” he said. “We have bushes and trees and we’re focusing on a lot of at-home productions, like fruits and berries.” 

Summit Sprouts is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. 

    Summit Sprouts owner Hunter Kennedy stands outside the greenhouse where a rare voodoo lily blooms.