Before passing it along as a family heirloom, Andrew Nascimben’s nonno nurtured the plant for nearly five decades.
A few days ago, the year-long wait was over. The exotic Devil’s Tongue began to bloom, and as the petals spread out, so did the smell.
“It smells like an animal has died,” said Nascimben, putting the plant away in his basement by the walkout door.
“It was banished to the basement because I just couldn't keep it in the kitchen any longer.”
The flower is also known as konjac or voodoo lily, a perennial plant native to Southeast Asia. It is known for its distinct look like a ‘devil’s tongue’ and even more distinct smell (like rotten meat) to draw pollinators.
“It smells for about two to three days. We're just at the end of the smell now,” said Nascimben.
Nascimben said his grandfather would plant the bulb of the flower into the garden every spring, and it would turn into a five-foot tree before dying down till the following year.
“He's just he's getting too frail and too old,” said Nascimben about his grandfather, who handed Nascimben the original bulb and handed his son an offspring.
Nascimben said the blooming of the flower brought much excitement into the house. His wife, an indoor house plant person, completed her collection with the massive flower.
“I have seen it at my nonno’s every year, but it only smells for about two or three days. So I've never really experienced the full smell of it,” said Nascimben.
His two daughters, Avery, 7, and Rowan, 4, were prepared for the smell before the plant was expected to bloom.
“They were happy to see it go to the basement,” said Nascimben. “They were ready for it. It's all part of the experience with this plant.”
“First day we thought it wasn't too bad. It was kind of bearable. We could live with it. The day before yesterday, Saturday, we woke up, and it was like okay, this thing has to go to the basement.”
The flower itself is half the size of Rowan.
“My parents came yesterday because it only blooms and smells for a couple of days. You kind of gotta catch it when it's open,” said Nascimben.
He describes the purple flower with a rose-like texture.
Soon, the flower will wither, and the smell will be gone, and the Nascimben will have to wait for an entire year to reminisce about his childhood memories and make new ones for his daughters.
“I'll probably bring it back up today because the smell is starting to go away,” said Nascimben.