Hundreds of visitors gathered at Kew Gardens in London to see the rare blooming of the titan arum, often called the “corpse flower” for its strong smell resembling rotting flesh.

The plant, which can take several years to bloom, emits the odour to attract pollinators. This bloom is expected to last up to 48 hours before collapsing.

Visitors described the scent as similar to dog’s breath or spoiled socks, drawing both curiosity and crowds to the conservatory.

“It’s pretty impressive. Much larger than I thought it would be. It doesn’t smell quite as bad, unless you get a waft here and there and it smells a bit like dogs’ breath,” said Joe Frewin, a chemical engineer, speaking to AFP.