wrote:
: After I saw this photo of an enormous flower (
: http://www.igman.com/misc/fertilizer...our-front-lawn )I had to ask
: myself if this plant was for real? Or, was this plant engineered by
: humans, and carefully fertilized by super potent miracle grow and other
: potent fertilizers. If it's natural, I'd love to have it on my
: lawn, you'd agree that it would be great fun to rest your yees on its
: large petals while resting on the front porch.

It is a natural flower called a 'corpse flower', due to its putrid smell.
The smell is probably why the woman in the photo is wearing a gas mask,
either for relief from the smell or to make a funny commentary on the
smell. We have some of these on campus in the greenhouses. They've bloomed
at least twice in the last several years. You really wouldn't want one on
your front lawn unless you intend to clear the block whenever it flowers.
It doesn't flower often anyways. Definately a special bontanical garden
sort of plant.

http://www.news.ucdavis.edu/titan/
http://greenhouse.ucdavis.edu/titan/

In fact, the greenhouse and planting container in those photos look mighty
familiar. Might in fact be from one of the UC Davis flowering titans. In
any case, the whole website strikes me as trollish or at the very least
poorly veiled hype. The plant naturally appears that way when it receives
proper care and flowers. Overfertilization has nothing to do with it.