Seven days a state of emergency, now the corpse flower stinks

A warm bath with cinnamon, or cloves, a glass of red wine, or even a pregnancy cocktail of Cognac and castor oil – the ideas for what to do Mrs to the introduction of the birth, many and varied. But what Papa is doing, if the Baby is very naughty the expected date of delivery to elapse?

An answer to this question is the garden Manager of the Botanical garden of the University of Zurich, Peter Enz gives us, of all places. His Baby: the mighty Titan Arum in their dome shaped house.

Easter without a body fragrance

Seven days ago, we visited him (i.e. the "Daddy to be"), in the hope that his so-called corpse flower (more on this later) would already see on the Easter day, the light of the world. And we shiver. Finally, it has flourished in Zurich, probably never such a Plant.

Enz promises (such as promises, it is also increasingly grandparents), to report immediately with Updates, once such were to occur.

The first day goes by, Mr Enz calls us to patience: "The Basler experts give our Titan Arum to 95 percent of a Blossom on Easter Monday evening." And how all the proud expectant dad's do, he sends us a picture of the belly (so in this case, the Plant) is equal to:

We bring us with great difficulty by the good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday. Distraction thanks to Brunches, eggs tütschen and chocolate bunnies.

On Monday, the damper follows: In the garden doing nothing. No Opening of the flower, no Düftchen, only the leaf-sheath had darkened slightly. Enz is later betrayed in retrospect, that he thought at this time already, to the Plant to perform a summoning dance.

"It happened,"

hats Availed nothing. Also on Tuesday nothing is happening. But yesterday, Wednesday may begin, Mr. Enz, finally, in order to pack the hospital suitcase. "This Morning it was at the top of the stinking piston, a scent which I would describe as "delicate smelly"" he makes us know. At 21.20 o'clock, it is already a "concise fragrance". And: "I was advised, in the case of first births, nitrous oxide, or Yoga," writes Enz – it is not without irony.

The E-Mail with the subject "It" happens to us, finally, to point to 10.46 a.m. this Morning – as we expected it to be, not who thought of it.

Of us there are with a sky blue bow and a little bit of sarcasm congratulations-Packed: "We wish the happy parents a lot of joy with the new citizen of the earth."

And you need to know about the offspring of Zurich:

guardian angel and care

The Titan Arum in Zurich needed a special guardian angel. About ten years ago, the Plant of students has been damaged. A long time it was unclear whether they will ever bloom. But now there is, thanks to the prudent care of the gardeners in all their splendour.

your Name refers to your Size, it is derived from the titans, the oldest gods of sex of Greek mythology, described as a giant in human form. Wherein in the Botanical garden in Zurich, a relatively small specimen, The measured record is a good three meters.

The smell of death

the Titan Arum is not only for the Size of the flower is known. A further note on a special property of the flower, the Indonesian Name of the Plant: Bunga Bangkai, which means corpse flower. The smell of death is to survive for the Titan Arum is important, especially for wild plants, and should attract Aaskäfer and Aasbienen, which they pollinate.

Video: Zurich's Titan Arum (more or less) just before flowering the garden Director Peter Enz, last week explained why the Titan Arum stinks of Carrion, and as the Zurich copy was almost destroyed. Video: saf

An open Titan Arum is, for various reasons, a rare event. There are only a few specimens in Botanical gardens. But also in Sumatra, where the Plant is native, to be their flower is a small Sensation, which attracts many people in the forest. Because until the Plant comes up for a short time, she has lived since the time of their germination already around a decade and several cycles by using a leaf energy in underground tubers are stored.

The bloom lasts for only two to three days, then the piston collapsed. If you can't make it this Time in the Botanical garden, you can hope to experience in Zurich, a Titan Arum flower. Because in a few years, the flowering of the giant flower may rise again. The Plant has flowered once, follow the next flowers in shorter intervals. The Basel specimen has trained in 2011, 2012 and 2014, a flower.

The Titan Arum is in Botanical gardens in zollikerstrasse 107, 8008 Zürich daily from 9.30 am to 17 PM.

(saf/hwe)

Created: 25.04.2019, 13:21 PM