KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — A corpse flower is in bloom this week at the University of Tennessee for the first time since it arrived on campus two decades ago. The flower, also known as titan arum, gets its name from the scent it emits while flowering. The smell is described as “the rotting body of an animal.”

“It smells like a dead animal to attract flies, which are attracted to rotting animals. It’s bright crimson for the same reason. Botany courses use it for the students to understand different plants around the world. It’s a good teaching tool,” said Jeff Martin, the greenhouse manager for UT’s Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.