Rafflesia Keithii blooms in Sabah Agriculture Park

TENOM - Crowds have gathered to witness the Rafflesia flower blooming at the Sabah Agriculture Park in Lagud Seberang, here, on Friday.

Rafflesia, which is one of the largest species of flowers in the world rarely grows in the wild and could be found around Taman Kinabalu, Ranau and Taman Banjaran Crocker in Keningau and Tambunan.

The agriculture park’s initiative to preserve the unique flower has allowed the Rafflesia Keithii species to bloom.

This was shared through the Sabah Agriculture Park’s Facebook page on Friday.

According to the Facebook post, the flower will bloom for three days and will wilt after that.

"Good news for all, the Rafflesia Keithii flower is now blooming at the Sabah Agriculture Park for the next three days.

"The Rafflesia would only bloom in a forested area and the Sabah Agriculture Park has taken steps to preserve the flowers through 'whip grafting'.

"Come and witness the phenomenon in the man made park that does not exist anywhere else other than in Malaysia," it said in the Facebook post.

Rafflesia Keithii is a parasitic flowering plant which commonly grows in the forest and can grow up to a metre in diameter.

It was named after Henry George Keith, the former Conservator of Forests in North Borneo.