Skunk Cabbage (Click image to enlarge) |
Skunk Cabbage Symplocarpus foetidus Skunk Cabbage is one of the very earliest spring wildflowers, often emerging through snow. In the midwest, this flower can often be found blooming in early February. The odor is unpleasant and has been likened to decaying flesh - a characteristic which probably helps it attract insects to pollinate the flowers. As spring progresses skunk cabbage plants may grow quite large - as much as 3 feet across. They are usually found in wet areas, near streams, ponds, and wetlands. The species occurs throughout the midwest and northeastern U.S., extending into the mid-south. Member of the Arum family, along with the Jack-in-the-Pulpit. |
