Stinky Flowers

At first glance, I thought this was some type of nepenthes, but this alien of a plant is more commonly known as the pelican flower or the calico flower. Aristolochia littoralis if you want to get technical.

Similar to the infamous corpse flower, the pelican flower gives off a smell similar to rotting flesh, attracting flies and other pollinators. They’re native to South America and are an important food source for butterfly larvae.

A couple things to be aware of (aside from the *smell*) if you choose to grow these:

* All parts of the plant are highly toxic if ingested

* This is a vining plant, considered invasive in some parts

Nonetheless, I think the flowers are breathtaking.