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'Pee-Yew': Corpse Flower Set To Bloom Soon

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – It's been three years since the University of Minnesota's corpse flower bloomed, and it's set to do so in the coming days.

The university announced this week that it's extending visitor hours at the College of Biological Sciences Conservatory starting Thursday. Visitors will be able to see (and perhaps smell) the enormous, rotting-meat-scented flower from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on both weekdays and weekends.

Those who can't make it in person can also watch the live stream here.

The corpse flower, which has been nicknamed Chauncy by the university, last bloomed in February of 2016. During the bloom, researchers fertilized the plant with pollen from another corpse flower, producing 14 seeds, each the size of a grape.

The 5-foot-tall flower is native to the rainforests of Sumatra and is listed as an endangered species. When it blooms, it emits a noxious, overpowering scent, which works to get the attention of pollinators.

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