Giant, stinky 'corpse flower' blooms again (+video)

After days of anticipation the Auckland Domain Winter Garden's 'corpse flower' began to bloom.

Today, it's expected to come in to full bloom and could stay open for two days.

The flower, officially named Amorphophallus titanium but more commonly called the "corpse flower" because of its smell in bloom, began to open this afternoon, revealing a dark and velvety purple colour inside.

The flower earlier today. Photo / supplied

Auckland Domain manager David Millward of city park services said: "It's been a bit quiet over the past few days but this morning it was starting to smell and there is some movement in the spathe, which looks like it is starting to open."

The flower started showing signs of activity about two weeks ago.

Since last week, hundreds of people have been following its progress on social media in anticipation of it flowering again.

The flower last bloomed in December 2013 and 17,400 people came to smell it.

People can keep an eye on progress on the

Wintergarden's Facebook page

.

Fun facts about the Corpse Flower:

• The Amorphophallus titanum (also known as a 'titan arum' or 'corpse flower') originates in the rainforests of Sumatra in Indonesia.

• It has been growing at the council-owned nursery and Wintergarden for around nine years.

• The flower can grow to more than three metres tall.

• Both male and female flowers are produced in the same inflorescence - the female flowers open first and the male a day or two later.

• The Amorphophallus titanum is in the Wintergarden's tropical glasshouse, which maintains an average temperature of 25 degrees Celsius.

• The flower lasts no more than 48 -72 hrs.