The uncommon corpse flower that has turn out to be a sensation on the Chicago Botanic Backyard in Glencoe was opened by scientists Sunday morning in entrance of tons of of curious onlookers packed contained in the plant’s greenhouse residence. Women would kneel over the flower and press their noses on its rubbery flesh and would sniff its leaves.

Over a week after it exhibited signs of bursting open, including faint odor seeping out, the plant never opened thus not showcasing its purple and tan leaves. The garden will stay open until 2 a.m. Sunday to allow visitors to get a close-up look at Spike.

According to NBC Chicago, the corpse flower didn’t bloom because it lacked the necessary energy.

Instead, scientists at the botanic gardens after waiting over a week decided to cut close to the base of the plant to open the flower on their own.

Little is known about the plant but scientists hope to find answers about why Spike did not “perform as expected”, the release said.

The flower is know as Titan arum, and was typically called “Spike”. It does not always bloom, but when it does, it emits a pungent odor that smells like decaying meat to attract pollinators like flies. But now that Spike failed to deliver, people are asking why it did not bloom.

“It’s a great story”, Tim Pollack, the floriculturist who tended to Spike, told CBS Chicago. Scientists consider Spike didn’t have sufficient power to pressure itself open, deciding to finish the method cycle and check out once more one other time. This is also the reason that Spike’s sheath was rubbery.

“Corpse flower” is a moniker of Amorphophallus titanum, given to the plant because it smells like a corpse.