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Corpse Flower finishes blooming at Como Conservatory

Horace the Corpse Flower drew quite a crowd to St. Paul, but the excitement is short-lived.

ST PAUL, Minn. — Editor's note: This video aired May 23, 2024. 

After a short and stinky run, Horace the Corpse Flower has closed back up. 

The plant bloomed Thursday at Como Park Zoo & Conservatory in St. Paul but it closed back up overnight. In an update online, Como staff shared that the bloom's signature smell of rotting flesh has faded and they will move the plant away from the public at the end of Friday. 

Horace will remain behind scenes until his next bloom, which will likely be years from now, according to Como staff. This was the first time that this Corpse Flower has bloomed since its arrival at Como Park in 2019. 

The plant is visible in the Exhibit Gallery from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. if you'd like to catch a glimpse before Horace is stowed away for the next few years. You can also watch Horace — and his crowd of admirers — on Como Park's livestream

On Thursday — the day of the bloom — the line to see the plant was four hours long, according to Como Park's website. Corpse Flowers are rare as there are less than 1,000 in the wild. 

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