Archive · 24 Nov 2025
Researchers Discover Rare Rafflesia Flower in Sumatra
Researchers found a very rare and special flower called Rafflesia in the forests of Sumatra, Indonesia.
This flower is one of the rarest in the world and is very big, growing up to three feet wide.
It smells like rotting meat, which helps it attract flies to help it reproduce.
The team had been searching for this flower for a long time and were very happy and emotional when they finally found it.
The flower only blooms for a few days and takes almost nine months to grow.
It lives inside a vine and only comes out to bloom.
There are more than 40 types of Rafflesia, and the largest one is called Rafflesia arnoldii, which is also found in Sumatra.
Researchers discovered the rare Rafflesia hasseltii flower in Sumatra, Indonesia after a decade-long search.
The flower is one of the world's rarest and can grow up to three feet in diameter and weigh up to seven kilograms.
Rafflesia hasseltii emits a strong odor reminiscent of rotting flesh, earning it the nickname 'corpse flower'.
The discovery was captured on video, showing the team's emotional reaction, with one member dropping to his knees and crying with joy.
The flower blooms for only a few days and takes nearly nine months to develop, spending its life hidden inside a tropical vine.
- Who
- Researchers Dr. Chris Thorogood and Septian 'Deki' Andrikithat
- What
- Discovered the rare Rafflesia hasseltii flower
- When
- November 19, 2025
- Where
- Sumatra, Indonesia
- Why
- To study and document one of the world's rarest flowers
- Flower Species
- Rafflesia hasseltii
- Location
- Sumatra, Indonesia
- Size
- Up to 3 feet in diameter, 7 kg in weight
- Blooming Duration
- Only a few days
- Development Time
- Nearly 9 months for a single bud
- Nickname
- Corpse flower
- Discovery Team
- Dr. Chris Thorogood and Septian 'Deki' Andrikithat