---
title: "Rafflesia: the largest flower in the world"
url: https://plants.lasse.co.uk/fact-archive/rafflesia-the-largest-flower-in-the-world/
---

# Rafflesia: the largest flower in the world
Date: 2026-05-30

In botany, a flower is a single reproductive unit. However, many of the things we call "flowers" are actually composite inflorescences: structures formed of groups of flowers. Thus, while at up to 3m high, the titan arum holds the title for the world's largest known inflorescence, it is not composed of a single flower. Instead, the title of the world's largest flower, at up to 1 m wide, belongs to the corpse flower, *Rafflesia arnoldi,* so-called due to the distinct smell of dead flesh it produces



## References:

1. [Kew: Rafflesia arnoldi](https://www.kew.org/plants/rafflesia-arnoldi)





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