The Giant Carrion Flower Blooms Perfectly in The Coffee Plantation

KABAR ALAM - The North Sumatra Natural Resources Conservation Center (BBKSDA Sumut) sent a team to follow up on the finding of a giant carrion flower (Amorphophallus titanium) in a coffee plantation owned by a resident of Borno Hamlet, Sungai Raya Village, Siempat Nempu District, Dairi Regency.

Head of the Conservation Section of Region I Sidikalang BBKSDA North Sumatra, Tuahman Raya Tarigan, S.Sos. who led this team to check the location of the giant carrion flower on Wednesday, October 26, 2022.

According to the report by Hafsah Purwasih, S.Hut. (Forestry Extension Officer of the North Sumatra BBKSDA), based on the results of the inspection, the team found a giant carrion flower in a wilted state after fully blooming five days earlier.

Indonesian Version: Bunga Bangkai Raksasa Mekar Sempurna di Kebun Kopi

The owner of the coffee plantation, Tiurma Br. Sinaga recounted, in 2022, when his son was fishing, 10 meters from the Lae Renun river, he found a giant carrion flower tubers weighing approximately 7 kg.

Then the tubers were brought home to be planted around the coffee plantation located behind his house.

Tiurma explained, before flowering, she had thought this plant was a porang because it had a vegetative phase, a single stem and leaves similar to the porang plant.

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It is said, after two weeks from the bud, this plant finally bloomed. Flower height when blooming is estimated around 2 meters. However, according to Tiurma, this carrion flower plant is sensitive, because when someone holds the flower petals, the next day it begins to rot.

In addition, the bloom period is very fast, which is only 2 days and then withers. The smell produced by this carrion flower is quite stinging.

On that occasion, the team from the Conservation Section of Region I Sidikalang delivered a counseling explaining that this flower, which has other name as giant suweg, is one of the plant species that is protected by law so it needs to be preserved.

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It was also conveyed, if there are further tubers or it is still possible to grow, they must coordinate with the North Sumatra BBKSDA through the Conservation Section of Region I Sidikalang.

To minimize disturbance, this carrion flower should be pegged to be "fenced" so that it can be seen but not carelessly touched.***