GVSU corpse flower, now dormant, back home after a summer adventure

GVSU's corpse flower went on a road trip this summer to the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park when it unexpectedly started blooming, allowing the community to experience its rotting-flesh smell.

After a short post-bloom stay at Meijer Gardens, the plant had already died back considerably by the time Barbara Kindschi Greenhouse staff members loaded it up for a trip back to the Allendale Campus. And now, it's dormant and unrecognizable given its previous splendor.

While its bloom may be fleeting -- only 24 to 36 hours -- the fascination with the rare tropical plant lives on. See how the trip for the plant lovingly called "The Beast" played out through this photo essay.