Thousands of onlookers gathered to see Mr. Stinky bloom in 1998. Its seedling mate, Alice, bloomed in 1999. The blooming can last up to four days. Conservatory manager Craig Allen will not let it go that long, however. He plans to pollinate the flower in the first eight hours with pollen from a Titan Arum that bloomed in Washington last week.
Pollination causes the flower to close.