Titan Arum, Amorphophallus titanum, from Sumatra, Indonesia is one of the most charismatic and eye-catching species in the world. It is assessed here as Endangered due to its small and declining population size. There are fewer than 1,000 mature individuals of the species known from the wild, and no more than ten mature individuals are found in any one site (subpopulation) in the forest, and the population is declining. The population reduction has been more than 50% in the last three generations (90-150 years) due to habitat loss and targeted collections. The occurrence of this species in its natural habitat is threatened due to land conversion, land degradation, illegal logging and sometimes the destruction of the plants because of a local myth that relates to the snake-like appearance of the petiole. Local people believe that the plants may harm humans, therefore they destroy the plants whenever they come across any. Since its introduction to cultivation in the late 1800s, the species has been grown in over 90 botanic gardens in 18 countries across the world and has successful flowered around 100 times. Botanic gardens are playing an important role in the ex situ conservation of the species.

The Titan Arum, Amorphophallus titanum is endemic to Sumatra Island, Indonesia.

The population size of Amorphophallus titanum in the wild is continuing to decrease due to habitat degradation and being targeted by local people. It is recorded in at least 45 subpopulations, but none exceeds 10 mature individuals. The estimated population size in Sumatra is fewer than 1,000 mature individuals and continuing to decline.

The habitat in Sumatra has declined by 47% between 1990 and 2010 due to conversion of land to oil palm plantations or plantations for timber or paper, as well as logging and fires (Margono et al. 2012). Forest cover also declined prior to 1990, and although the generation time of A. titanum is not fully understood, the population reduction (due to habitat loss and targeted collections) is estimated to be over 50% in the last three generations (90-150 years).

This species is mostly found growing wild in tropical lowland forest near rivers and sometimes found in farmlands, sometimes in backyards, or close to paddy fields (Yuzammi et al. 2017). It is frequently found in very steep mountain slopes, in semi-open young secondary forest, rarely in shade in primary forest, in areas of flat terrain and on steep cliffs or hillsides, at 0 – 1,200 m altitude (Hetterscheid and Ittenbach, 1996).

Land degradation and deforestation (logged for timber and oil palm plantations) are the main causes of this species' disappearance in the forest. In addition, the myth about this species being a predator of people (due to the markings on the petiole which resemble a snake) leads to the destruction of the species when people find it growing in their farmlands (Yuzammi et al. 2018).

The forest habitat in Sumatra has declined significantly since 1990 (Margono et al. 2012) due to conversion of land to oil palm plantations or plantations for timber or paper, as well as logging and fires.

There is no information regarding local utilization of this species. Villagers from one of regency in West Sumatra mentioned that the tuber of this species have been bought by Chinese without explaining the purposes. Hettercheid and Ittenbach (1996) reported that large amounts of tubers of Amorphophallus titanum have been collected by unpaid local people and transported to Japan and Korea.

Amorphophallus titanum was discovered in Sumatra, Indonesia in 1878 by Odoardo Beccari who sent seeds to the botanic garden of his hometown Florence and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, where it only flowered for the first time in 1889 (Lobin et al. 2007). Since its introduction to cultivation, the species has been grown in over 90 botanic gardens in 18 countries across the world and has successful flowered around 100 times.

It is under increasing threat in its natural habitat and botanic gardens are playing an important role in the ex situ conservation of the species. Testing for the genetic diversity of cultivated plants, developing pollination protocols for the production of viable seeds and studies into the environmental triggers for flowering are important to understanding this puzzling species and to the long-term success of conservation efforts.

Flowering events attract thousands of visitors to botanic gardens. This is due to a combination of its enormous flowering structure (the largest such structure in the plant kingdom) and famously bad smell which has given rise to the common name "corpse flower". The unpredictability, rarity, and brevity of the blooming also adds to the species' enigma. Flowering events provided botanic gardens with an excellent opportunity to engage a wide range and diverse audience and to share their broader messages relating to conservation, horticulture, and science.

This species is cultivated in many botanical gardens around the world and are the focus of intensive research efforts to better understand the biology of this species and its horticultural requirements (e.g. see the species' profile on Plants of the World Online).

The Indonesian Government has published legal regulations to ensure the conservation of Amorphophallus titanum, namely: the Decree of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia No. P.72/Menlhk-Setjen/2015 and A Strategy and Action plant for Conservation of Amorphophallus titanum (Becc.) Becc. ex Arcang 2015 – 2025.