What plant smells like mold when it blooms? Very putrid, and how long doe this last before it passes?

Question

It is some kind of summer plant. It smells aweful.....like a mix between bug spray and mold!? How long does this thing bloom or whatever and what can I do about it? Could it be animals building something in an oak tree up high? Help!

Answer 1

I'll bet it's Sedum. The type that includes 'Autumn Joy'.  They look rather like Jade plants. They are succulents, and have a bloom that makes it look like broccoli. There are many people who can't smell it. I can, and it is putrid, as you said. It is from the Stonecrop family.

Not all succulents smell like this when blooming. There are some really beautiful plants in this family.

I won't have this type of sedum anywhere around my house because of the stench. But if you have an area that is very dry, sandy soil, and won't grow anything, try some of the other plants in this family. Hens and chicks are nice and there are so many others. And many will overwinter well.

Answer 2

It's the aptly named Stinkhorn, native to Mississippi area