Deep inside Indonesia’s dense forests, scientists finally found a rare flower they’d been hunting for a decade, and the discovery left them emotional. Found in Sumatra, this extraordinary species, known as Rafflesia, is one of the world’s rarest flowers.
When it fully opens, its diameter can stretch up to three feet, making it a breathtaking natural marvel. But its size isn’t its only unusual trait. Instead of a pleasant scent, Rafflesia emits a strong odour reminiscent of rotting flesh.
The researcher who located the bloom captured the moment on video and shared it online, instantly sparking global curiosity. In the footage, the enormous flower, capable of weighing up to seven kilograms, is seen in full bloom.
A life-changing encounter in Sumatra:
Rafflesia hasseltii grows in just a few remote, tiger-patrolled rainforests, accessible only under permit and seen by few. We trekked day and night to find it, and look what happened when we did: pic.twitter.com/8RpiXZSFgD
— Chris Thorogood (@thorogoodchris1) November 19, 2025
Dr Chris Thorogood, Associate Professor of Biology at the University of Oxford and part of the discovery team, said the moment felt overwhelmingly emotional after years of relentless effort. The search had been gruelling, he added, but the flower was so remarkable that it left the team in tears.
According to a post by the University of Oxford, the flower identified is Rafflesia hasseltii, a giant parasitic red bloom that is even harder to spot than a tiger. It thrives deep within Sumatra’s dense rainforests.
Dr Thorogood shared that the team had trekked day and night through the jungle to find it. In the viral video, Indonesian flower hunter Septian “Deki” Andrikithat is seen dropping to his knees and crying with joy at the discovery, while Thorogood comforts him.
Moments later, the huge flower begins unfurling its petals—a sight Andrikithat described as unbelievable, especially after searching for this specific bloom for three years.
Dr Thorogood explained that a single Rafflesia bud takes nearly nine months to develop and blooms for only a few days. The flower spends its entire life hidden inside a tropical vine, emerging above ground solely to bloom.
Despite its foul, meat-like stench, earning it the nickname “corpse flower”, the odour plays a vital role in attracting flies that help it reproduce.
Scientists say there are more than 40 species of Rafflesia. Among them, Rafflesia arnoldii, also found in Sumatra, holds the title of the largest flower in the world, measuring up to three feet across.
/images/ppid_59c68470-image-176387003614167599.webp)
