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Like its pre-evolution, Gloom has a blue-colored body. However, it now has a reddish-brown, white-spotted "flower" atop its head. The "flower" resembles a rainforest flower, the rafflesia, which is said to smell like rotten meat. The leaves it had as an Oddish seems to be withering underneath the flower. Gloom's eyes seem perpetually closed in appearance, and their purple lips seem to drip drool constantly, however, the 'drool' is actually nectar. Gloom has gained a pair of arms, and its legs seem more developed in form.
Gender differences
A female has fewer, albeit larger, spots on its petals.
Special abilities
Gloom's most well-known special ability is launching horrid-smelling pollen that has been described as smelling like a mixture of old sneakers, garbage, and rotten eggs with a hint of skunk fumes. This stench has shown to smell bad enough to knock out other people and Pokémon, examples of this being Team Rocket and Charmander. Like many other Grass-types, Gloom can utilize the sun to become faster in sunlight. Gloom is also able to learn powder-based moves like PoisonPowder and Sleep Powder, restore health in moonlight, and perform attacks that drain energy from its opponent like Giga Drain.
Behavior
The fluid that oozes from its mouth, despite appearance, is actually a honey-like nectar Gloom uses to attract prey. Gloom is characterized of being able to release an incredibly foul stench from the pistils and pollen of its flower. When faced with danger, the stench worsens. If Gloom is feeling calm and secure, however, it does not release its usual stinky aroma, a statement first implied in the episode Pokémon Scent-sation! Contrary to appearances, it is quite flamboyant.
Gloom live in grassy plains, and can also be found in tropical areas such as jungles and swamps, where the ground is rich in nutrients. It is commonly found in Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and occasionally in Sinnoh as well.
A Gloom appeared in the wild in The Grass Route and another appeared in the same episode belonging to an unnamed competitor participating in the Grass-type tournament.
Multiple Gloom appeared in Whichever Way the Wind Blows where many of them either evolved into Bellossom or Vileplume depending on the direction of the wind which contained fragments of Sun Stones and Leaf Stones.
It's Gloom, the Weed Pokémon. It gives off a powerful aroma that can cause those to smell it to faint from two miles away.
In the manga
In the Pokémon Adventures manga
In Pokémon Adventures, Gloom's most notable appearance has been as wild Pokémon. Erika owns a Gloom as part of her Gym team, as with itsevolutions, but it isn't shown battling.
In the Pokémon Pocket monsters manga
Erika owns an Oddish which evolved into a Gloom and then into a Vileplume as part of an act.
Gloom releases a foul fragrance from the pistil of its flower. When faced with danger, the stench worsens. If this Pokémon is feeling calm and secure, it does not release its usual stinky aroma.
From its mouth Gloom drips honey that smells absolutely horrible. Apparently, it loves the horrid stench. It sniffs the noxious fumes and then drips even more of its honey.
A horribly noxious honey drools from its mouth. One whiff of the honey can result in memory loss. Some fans are said to enjoy this overwhelming stink, however.
Gloom is the first Pokémon in National Pokédex order to have more than one Pokémon that it can evolve into as of Generation II. Before then, it was Eevee.
James's description of Gloom's stench is confused in some sources as a description of his Koffing.
Gloom is the only dual-type Pokémon that can evolve into a single-type Pokémon.
It is also the only Pokémon to evolve into two different Pokémon with two different stones, other than Eevee.
Gloom appears to resemble the nocturnal flower known as rafflesia arnoldii, which has a foul odor. The fact that its terrible smelling pollen can be made into a wonderful perfume and that 1 in 1000 people enjoy its smell may be a reference to skunks, whose musk has similar qualities.
Name origin
Gloom is taken from the word gloom (a state of depression) and may refer to the gloom associated with smelling its stench or its seemingly depressed face. It could also come from bloom, since it is still in the blooming stage of a rafflesia arnoldii.
Kusaihana literally means "stinking flower" (臭い花 kusai hana).
This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.