Overview
- Conservatory staff observed Horace begin to unfurl on the weekend and opened the plant for limited public viewing during its brief bloom.
- Horace was measured at 52 inches tall before opening, a size similar to its past blooms and a detail the conservatory used to help interpret the event for visitors.
- The flower emits a powerful odor that mimics rotting meat to attract flesh flies and carrion beetles, and the scent is strongest on the first day of the roughly 24-to-48-hour bloom.
- Como Park set up special early-access entry through the Japanese Garden gates, routed visitors through the Bonsai Pavilion and Ordway Gardens, and staffed volunteers to answer questions and control crowd flow.
- Admission to the conservatory remains free, donations support plant and animal care, and limited Horace-themed merchandise was sold to help fund operations while supplies lasted.