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Devil's Tongue stinking up the biology department greenhouse

By Patrick Beane and Devan Ridgway

Posted January 22, 2025

Two Devil's Tongue orchids are in bloom at the IU biology department greenhouse. (Devan Ridgway / WTIU)

Every three or four years, thousands make their way to the IU biology department’s greenhouse to see Wally, a six-foot tall corpse flower that smells like rotting flesh when it blooms.

But it’s not the only stinky plant in the greenhouse.

The Amorphophallus konjac — better known as the Devil’s Tongue — is currently blooming. And smelling up the area around it.

The orchid blooms annually with a flower that can reach three to four feet.

“I know one year it actually bloomed on Valentine's Day,” said greenhouse supervisor John Leichter. “And we were making a joke, if you’ve got that one person you wanted to send a flower to and don't like, this is the perfect one for that.”

Greenhouse supervisor John Leichter talks about the Amorphophallus Konjac orchid, better known as the Devil’s Tongue. — Greenhouse supervisor John Leichter talks about the Amorphophallus konjac orchid, better known as the Devil’s Tongue. *(Devan Ridgway / WTIU)*

The Devil’s Tongue is native to southern Asia. Once pollinated, it can produce edible chrome, which is used to make flour and gelatin.

Two of the university’s five Devil’s Tongue plants are blooming now. Leichter said it’s rare for two to bloom at the same time.

And, he said, like many other orchids in the greenhouse, it has a distinctive smell when it blooms.

“I had somebody tell me, ‘You got a dead mouse in here,’” Leichter said. “And I said, ‘No, it's an orchid blooming.’ And it's just not all flowers smell nice.”

A sign for the Devil's Tongue orchid. — A sign for the devil's tongue orchid. *(Devan Ridgway / WTIU)*

And while it’s not as popular as the corpse flower, Leichter said drawing attention to the Devil’s Tongue helps bring visitors to the greenhouse. About 20 people came to see the blooming orchid Wednesday.

“This greenhouse in the 1950s originally was a Sunken Gardens here, and they built over top of it,” he said. “And this used to be all research at one time, so we’re just trying to get where people know about this place.”

The greenhouse is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. with tours available every Thursday at 10 a.m.