While hiking, I stumbled upon an isolated wetland, with a large population of Skunk Cabbage,(Symplocarpus Foetidus) a harbinger of spring in Connecticut and the Northeastern US. It's complexity and unique characteristics are frequently overlooked due to its early bloom and homely appearance. Skunk Cabbage is often the first plant to push its way through the crust of snow in late February or March, but this year the surrounding trees and shrubs leafed out earlier along with the skunk cabbage, not surprisingly due to the warmer weather this Spring.
Almost everything about Skunk Cabbage is unusual except its appearance. It's otherworldly mottled maroon and green flower, or spathe, forces its way through the snow by increasing its temperature up to 15 degrees Celsius or 59 degrees Fahrenheit, enough to melt any snow around the flower. After the flowers protrusion, it begins to grow leaves in a corkscrew pattern, reaching its full height and diameter, between 1 and 3 feet, in June before dropping seeds and dying back in early Fall.
For a wetland plant that must constantly deal with fluctuating soil and water conditions, the plant is extraordinarily long lived; specimens are believed to have lived hundreds of years. The root system, sternly anchoring the entire plant in soggy wetland soils, is similarly impressive, it’s both deep and broad, and resembles a ragged mop. Contractile roots pull the plant further into the soil depending on the water and soil levels found in the wetland. The vast root system also serves as a food reservoir, the starch stored in the roots fuel the heat process in early Spring, and have been known to be eaten by American Indians after being boiled. No word on how it tastes.
Besides these botanical facts, the reason Skunk Cabbage retains its name is it noisome odor when its leaves and stems are bruised. The odor, noticeable but not horrible, is enough to please any child who know its secret.
More information about this complex plant here:
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=SYFO
http://natureinstitute.org/pub/ic/ic4/skunkcabbage.htm
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/parks/kidsthings/natthing200903/skunkcabbage0309/tabid/21529/Default.aspx
