Below is a list of 5 bad smelling plants to not grow. The reason I say to avoid growing them is because the smell is just too horrendous! They might be interesting, but the intense stench is over-bearing. Why plant these smelly things to attract lots of bugs, when there are many other plants that have a fantastic fragrance.
5. Rafflesia
This plant smells like rotting flesh and grows to be 4 to 5 feet wide. Sure, it’s a truly impressive flower, but it isn’t known as the Cadaver Flower for no reason at all. It’s hard for people to take a picture of this orange specked red blossom without gagging.
4. Ginkgo Trees
They grow into a tree and smell like rotten eggs. The benefits of ginkgo are widely known, but I wouldn’t want to be the one who had to harvest this plant. These trees get enormously large, which means there are plenty of leaves to stink up quite a lot of area.
3. Voodoo Lily
This tropical plant smells worse than decaying meat. Thankfully it is a very short-lived flower. There’s really no need to try growing this enormous plant, other than to irritate your housemates or to keep guests away.
2. Skunk Cabbage
The smell of decaying meat oozes from the leaves of this plant. The blossoms are a deep purple and measure around 4 inches. All you have to do is break or tear a leaf to get the smell rolling out. This can be treacherous if the plant starts growing in your yard and you end up mowing over it.
1. Corpse Plant
The Corpse Plant smells like rotting bodies and grows larger than most humans do. You can imagine the odor coming off of a flower that size. Although interesting, it’s best to leave these plants to the botanical gardens that can put them on display for the general public.
Each of these plants is too smelly to be grown in small areas, not to mention overly large in some cases. Have you come across some bad smelling plants at all? Do you see any reason to try to grow them in your own home?
Top Photo Credit: Araleya
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why do some plants smell bad?
- Oof, good question! Some plants have evolved to smell bad to attract certain pollinators like flies or beetles. Others might use their stinky aroma to ward off herbivores. Nature's pretty clever, right?
- Can I do anything to reduce the smell of these plants?
- Totally! You could plant them away from commonly used areas or use mulch to mask the smell. Sometimes pruning and good air circulation help too. It's all about location and management.
- Which plants are known for their bad smell?
- Yikes! There are a few notorious ones. Rafflesia, corpse flower, and even some varieties of stinkhorn fungi are pretty infamous. Skunk cabbage and Bradford pear trees are also in the mix. Not exactly the kind you want in your living room!
- Are there any benefits to growing bad smelling plants?
- Surprisingly, yes! Some, like Rafflesia, are rare and fascinating, attracting lots of interest from botany enthusiasts. Plants like skunk cabbage can even be helpful in wetlands. Just because they smell doesn't mean they're useless!
- How can I identify a bad smelling plant before buying or planting it?
- Great tip: always do a little research first. Reading up on the plant or asking at your local nursery can save you a lot of nose-pinching later. Sometimes a quick sniff test if you're at a store helps too, just maybe don’t get too close!