The flower with the world’s largest bloom is the Rafflesia Arnoldii. This rare flower is found in the rainforests of Indonesia that can grow to be 3 feet across and weigh up to 15 pounds! It is a parasitic plant, with no visible leaves, roots, or stem. It attaches itself to a host plant to obtain water and nutrients.
When it bloomed, the Rafflesia emits a repulsive odor similar to rotting meat. This odor attracts insects that pollinate the plant.
Little has known about how the parasitic Rafflesia infects its host plants. Rafflesia spends most of its life span as a tangle of strand-like cells lurking inconspicuously underneath the bark of a woody vine called Tetrastigma, before emerging as drab, golf ball-sized buds.
These eventually burst into fleshy blooms that smell like rotting meat and can reach 20 pounds and three feet across.
Watch the full video about Rafflesia Arnoldii here:
Enjoy!
