Case Study: Vision International Delivers a Rare Bloom — Frozen Corpse Flower Pollen Flown Within 24 Hours
Overview
When Sydney’s Royal Botanic Gardens required a rare and time-sensitive pollen delivery to pollinate their Amorphophallus titanium (commonly known as the Corpse Flower), Vision International successfully managed the entire domestic air freight within just one day. This ensures the successful pollination of one of nature’s rarest botanical events.
This extraordinary logistics effort connected Odd Spot Plants, a boutique production nursery in Southeast Queensland, with the Sydney Botanical Gardens, uniting science, horticultural passion, and precise freight execution.
The Challenge
Timing was everything. The Corpse Flower (Amorphophallus titanium) blooms unpredictably, often once every several years, even decades, and its window for pollination lasts only 24–36 hours.
When Odd Spot Plants’ own Corpse Flower, affectionately named “Xena” (after the Warrior Princess), began to flower in January 2025, owner Neil Paterson knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to share viable pollen with Sydney Botanical Gardens to assist in pollinating their own bloom.
The challenge: move frozen pollen hundreds of kilometres from South East Queensland to Sydney within hours, maintaining its temperature integrity and meeting strict plant transport requirements.
The Solution
Vision International’s Brisbane operations team immediately coordinated the full domestic air freight movement, managing:
- Direct collection and delivery to our facility
- Preparation of the frozen pollen from Odd Spot Plants
- Secure packing in temperature-controlled containers, packed with our own dry ice, suitable for short-term cryogenic material
- Compliance with airline requirements
- Rapid same-day uplift and delivery to the Sydney Domestic terminal, where the Sydney Botanical Gardens are collected upon arrival.
Through meticulous coordination between airlines, ground handlers, and receiving staff, Vision ensured that the pollen arrived within 24 hours, maintaining perfect condition for use in the critical pollination phase.
The Outcome
The shipment arrived on time and was fully viable, enabling the successful pollination of Sydney’s Corpse Flower.
Neil and Lisa Paterson of Odd Spot Plants were thrilled:
“I cannot express in words the service that Vision International Logistics provided on this urgent shipment of Amorphophallus pollen. The Sydney Botanic Gardens phoned us saying they needed pollen tomorrow, nothing like leaving it to the last minute 😉
This pollen needs to stay deep frozen and can't be allowed to thaw. I was in a bit of a panic, so we contacted Vision, and they were not fazed. They said they would call us back, and they did. Vision said a courier would be here in the morning, and it was. Vision said it would be on the plane and delivered that night, and it was. It was kept frozen and delivered in perfect condition as promised. Vision Logistics will be our go-to air courier from now on.
The Vision team took what felt like a very stressful situation and made it feel easy. They kept in contact throughout the entire transport process of this precious cargo; they even checked in later to see if the pollination was successful. We cannot express our gratitude enough.
Lisa Paterson (Odd Spot Plants)”
This collaboration showcased not only the dedication of Australian horticulturists but also the capabilities of Vision International in managing complex, time-sensitive, and delicate freight, from perishable exports to rare scientific materials.
To see Sydney Botanical Gardens' Amorphophallus titanium in bloom, kindly see the link below:
About Odd Spot Plants
Located in Southeast Queensland, Odd Spot Plants is a small boutique production nursery owned and operated by Neil and Lisa Paterson.
Originally known for their rare indoor plants and passion for aroids, Odd Spot Plants are now specialising in Grafted Trees, having been well known for their rare Indoor Plants.
Their interest in Aroids will ensure Neil continues to breed hybrid Philodendrons and Monstera, but the primary focus of the Nursery will now be on grafting flowering gums, jacarandas and all manner of hard-to-find ornamentals and fruit trees.
There has been much excitement in their nursery this week as their Amorphophallus titanium (corpse flower) named “Xena” (after the Warrior Princess) has flowered for the first time [January 2025].
Neil's passion for everything green led Lisa to buy Neil the bulb as a gift, and from an onion size in January 2020, it has grown to 38.7kg by 7 November 2024, when it was most recently planted. In 61 days, Xena grew to a whopping 2.2 metres and then within 5 hours, the ‘flower’ (Spathe) opened. The flower lasted about 36 hours, during which time Neil pollinated the female flowers and collected pollen for the next flower.
Everyone asks about the smell...
Lisa: “It was not as bad as I expected, or maybe we just got used to it over the hours. As Xena started to open, there was a rotten cabbage-type smell. As she opened, this smell intensified, and then pulses of the smell of rotting flesh were “pushed” out.
These pulses were similar to driving past roadkill; potent but did not last too long. But it travelled a long distance, and we had blow flies visiting; then after dark, Carrion beetles also visited, which I've never seen before (these are what pollinate in the wild in Indonesia, though no doubt a different species of beetle). The beetles stayed until the pollen started, and a different smell was emitted.”
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Contact Vision International today to learn more about perishables, freight forwarding, sea freight, air freight, customs, project cargo, and more. Call our Australian locations:
Brisbane: +61 7 3866 7900
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Or email enquiries@vision.com.au to learn more about us!
