Alert: The Corpse Flower Has Bloomed [VIDEO]

WASHINGTON, DC -- Better late than never. Officials had expected the famous "corpse flower" to bloom at the U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory this past weekend, but it didn't open its beautiful -- and stinky -- petals until Tuesday morning.

Amorphophallus titanum is a spectacular tropical plant with a foul smell -- which gives it its name -- that blooms for just 24 to 36 hours once every four or five years, so you better hurry to the U.S. Botanic Garden either Tuesday or possibly Wednesday if you want to see it in person before it closes up for another few years.

The Botanic Garden reported in a statement that the plant first went on view to the public on July 22 and peak bloom is currently underway since it began opening early Tuesday morning. As a result, the conservatory will stay open until 11 p.m. Tuesday night.

"The magic of the titan arum comes from its great size - it is largest unbranched inflorescence in the plant kingdom," the statement reads. "When it went on display, the plant was around 3.5 feet tall. Referred to as the corpse flower or stinky plant, its putrid smell is most potent during peak bloom at night into the early morning. The odor is often compared to the stench of rotting flesh. The inflorescence also generates heat, which allows the stench to travel further. This combination of heat and smell efficiently attracts pollinators, such as carrion beetles and flies, from across long distances."

The plant can be found in the tropical rainforests of Sumatra in Indonesia and was first discovered by scientists in 1878. It can grow up to 12 feet tall in its natural habitat.

The U.S. Botanic Garden has displayed the blooming plant just five times before: in 2003, 2005, 2007, 2010 and 2013.

You can view a live stream of the corpse flower below:

Image via U.S. Botanic Garden