Titan arum in flower at the Botanics for the first time.

The first flowering in Scotland of the world’s largest “flower” is something to celebrate. So what better tipple than the wine produced by the decendants of the plants discoverer – Odoardo Beccari.

The ‘Titanum’ wine produced by the Beccari family, whose ancestor, Odoardo, discovered the titan arum.

After graduating Beccari spent time at Kew Gardens and met prominent naturalists and botanists of the day, including Charles Darwin and William and Joseph Hooker. Connections with James Brooke, the first Rajah of Sarawak, resulted in 13 years of exploration in Southeast Asia, and it was during this period that Beccari discovered the titan arum in 1878 in Sumatra.

To honour their famous ancestor the Beccari family, who produce wine in the Radda in Chianti region of Tuscany, have named one of their wines ‘Titanum’ and have told Beccari’s story on the Vignavecchia website. Orsola Beccari, the great-granddaughter of Odoardo, kindly sent a shipment of wine to toast the titan arum in full bloom. So here is a toast to the botanist, zoologist and explorer Odoardo Beccari, to his family who have helped us to celebrate his achievements and to the titan arum that we fondly know as New Reekie.

Odoardo Beccari became a prominent botanist and there are numerous plant names that honour his contribution to botanical science.