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Unprecedented second corpse flower blooms at San Diego Botanic Garden

This makes the first time two have bloomed in a single year.

ENCINITAS, Calif. — San Diego Botanical Garden's second corpse flower of the year is in its final day of bloom. This makes the first time two have bloomed in a single year.

And just like "The Addam's Family" matriarch that the flower is named after, Morticia is drenched in (the scent) of death. 

Ari Novy, CEO of San Diego Botaical Garden explained why the corpse flower reeks in its final days of life.

"This plant is literally trying to behave like a corpse, it's trying to convince insects that it is a corpse and its doing that because the insects that pollinate it like rotting flesh," said Novy.

Morticia's sibling "Stinking Beauty" bloomed just three weeks prior.

"We do have six mature plants that we grow here at the garden, we have lately been getting one a year, or at least one every other year, but this is the first time we have gotten two in the same year," said Novy. 

The next bloom is expected in 2025. The flowers typically blossom for three days. The scent had started to fade by its third an final day.

CBS 8 spoke with visitor Leaf Arionus who says it wasn't as bad as he thought.

"I was really surprised, I didn't smell anything and normally my old factory sense is good," Arionus said. 

People say it smells like anything from dirty diapers, to rotten fish. 

Novy told CBS 8 he's heard it all.

"Yesterday a lot of kids were like 'oh my god it smells like stinky broccoli,' a lot of people say stinky feet, some people go, 'it has a lot of cheesy flavor,' people kind of mention all of those different things," said Novy.

Even though the scent isn't too strong today, Leaf says it is still a pretty cool thing to witness.

"I feel like the miracle of life has happened and I got to experience that," said Arionus. 

If you want to see the flower admission is $18 for adults and $10 for kids, or there is a livestream of the bloom you can watch on the San Diego Botanic Garden's website.

   

WATCH RELATED: 'Stinking Beauty' is only blooming in Encinitas for a short time. Here's how to smell it

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