Rare, smelly flower on display in Cortland

CORTLAND, Ohio - While spring is still a few weeks away, a unique flower is now in bloom and causing a stink.

The rare flower is on display at Adgate's Garden Center. The plant stands about 5-feet and has a large purple bloom. The flower is known as a "Corpse Flower" and anyone who dares take a whiff of the plant will know why.

"'I'm telling you it really smells of decaying something," said Customer Sandy Kubicina. "Rotten eggs, or you know grass at the end of the season when its really decomposing."

"Like a rotten animal on the side of the road, it really does smell like rotting flesh," described Owner Jim Adgate.

Adgate says he first took in the plant last year because the flower's original owner couldn't stand the smell in her home. He now keeps the plant each time it blooms and begins to stink.

"I thought what do I want that thing for, but you know if I'm the 'plants man' I think I am well I do want that in here and I do want to know what it is," said Adgate. "Sure enough it stunk up about 3-thousand square foot of greenhouse and if the greenhouse were bigger it would have stunk it up too, it's just horrible."

The large flower started to bloom Monday, and Adgate predicts it will be fully open by Wednesday or Thursday. The smell will then only last a week or two.

"I'm happy to have it for a few days mostly because I can stand inside and watch out the window as customers walk through the front door and watch their noses curl up and it's funny," laughed Adgate.