Strange things growing in my side yard

Well, it is that time of year again and that familiar stench fills the air. Every year without fail, I take a whiff and think to myself, "is there a dead rat under my house"? And then I remember that is late Spring and my voodoo lily must be in bloom.



This repulsive smelling (and looking) flower is the Voodoo Lily (Dracunculus vulgaris), a native of the Mediterranean region. They look like something that came out of the Little Shop of Horrors. Not surprisingly it does very well in Southern California. One of the former owners must have planted the tubers in the side yard and it has taken off ever since. This year, I counted 5 individual plants and have at least 5-6 blooms.

Being a neglectful gardener, I don't have the inclination to try to dig up the tubers. So, for a brief 2 week period, I tolerate the stench and marvel at these strange beings growing in my side yard.