Ep. 20 - Matt Coulter & the Corpse Flower: Giants of Botanical Conservation

What's big, emits the stench of decaying flesh, and draws crowds of thousands? It's none other than the Amorphophallus titanum, commonly known as the corpse flower! In this episode, our guest Matt Coulter, the horticultural curator for the Botanic Gardens of South Australia, enlightens us about this botanical rockstar and much more.

Embark on a damp and misty expedition through the Mt. Lofty Botanical Gardens with Matt as he guides our hosts, Alex and Kiri. Explore the Amorphophallus palace, a glasshouse where this master of disguise thrives and reproduces. Then, venture into other shade houses and nurseries where some of our state's most endangered flora are cultivated for conservation.

Following the tour, Alex, Kiri, and Matt delve into the topic of plant conservation over a cup of tea. Discover Matt's personal journey into horticulture and the significance of botanical gardens in preserving plant species. So come join us, even if you've forgotten your umbrella – there's much to explore!

BONUS: Some of the corpse flowers in their leaf growth phase are on display now at the Adelaide Botanical Gardens in the Amazon Waterlily Pavilion and the Rainforest Conservatory!

You can follow the Botanical Gardens on Facebook @AdelaideBotanicGarden, instagram @botanicgardenssa and twitter @botgardenssa.

CREDITS

Host: Alex Chu and Kiri Marker

Producer: Kiri Marker

Editor: Adam Toomes

Copywriting and distribution: Jacob Maher

Music: Darcy Whittaker

The BSSA podcast is supported by the Biology Society of South Australia

For more on the BSSA, head to our website www.biologysocietysa.com or follow us on instagram @biologysocietysa, facebook and twitter @BiolSocSA