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LIVE VIDEO: Rare plant to bloom at MSU station in Poplarville
The live broadcast has ended. The footage above is a timelapse of photos taken on June 29th and 30th.
Photos/Scott Langlois
POPLARVILLE, Miss. – Horticulture researchers at the Mississippi State University South Mississippi Branch Experiment Station anticipate the first bloom of the rare titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum) will happen soon.
The plant will not likely bloom again for several years.
Researchers cannot predict an exact bloom date, but note the plant is changing daily and they anticipate full bloom within the next few days.
The bloom will be the first on the nine-year-old, greenhouse-grown plant. Often called the largest flower in the world, it is native to Sumatra, an Indonesian island.
The fully opened bloom typically lasts only 24 hours. Follow the South Mississippi Branch Experiment Station Facebook page to get updates on the bloom process at https://www.facebook.com/MSUSouthMississippiBranchExperimentStation.
Extended viewing hours will be available this weekend on Saturday, June 25 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sunday, June 26 from noon to 3 p.m. The plant can be viewed during regular station hours, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., beginning Monday, June 27 until blooming has ended.
The station is located at 711 W. North Street in Poplarville.
Contact:
Dr. Gene Blythe, 601-403-8774
Scott Langlois, 601-403-8770