When the Spring Equinox rolls around here in Maine, it does not usually come with showy florals, or leafy greens...not just yet. But you can still find signs of the season if you look closely for them. One of the earliest signs of spring at the reserve is the appearance of the unusual-looking and quite captivating skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus). Its deep reddish-purple color nearly blends in with mud season's browns and grays, but once you start noticing skunk cabbage, you'll see it popping up all over. The best place to spot this unique plant on our property is along the Laird-Norton Boardwalk trail near the (currently closed) Laird-Norton Overlook.

We checked in with Caryn Beiter, our Education Coordinator, to find out some of her favorite fun facts about skunk cabbage - detailed below. "People are fascinated by them," Caryn shared. "It's a really common question that we get out on the trail. It's such an interesting plant with a unique life history."

Morphology

The striking, twisted, hood-like purple structure with a small opening on one side is called the “spathe.” This is a bract, or modified leaf structure typically associated with reproductive parts (i.e. flowers). Essentially, these could be referred to as flower buds and are the first to emerge in the spring. This thick outer covering houses and protects a fleshy spike or ball of tiny, tightly packed, yellow, petalless flowers called the “spadix.” These flowers are botanically "perfect," meaning they have both male and female reproductive parts. 

Notable Smell

Take a whiff along the boardwalk! How would you describe the odor in the air? The genus name Symplocarpus is from the Greek symploce for “connection” and carpos for “fruit” referring to the connection of the ovaries into a compound fruit. The species name foetidus is from the Latin meaning foul-smelling. The skunk cabbage's strong, unpleasant odor, is sometimes likened to rotting meat or garlic.

Could being smelly be a strategy? Yes! This distinct odor, is actually key to attracting pollinators, primarily carrion-feeding flies and gnats, but also bees, beetles, and other insects. The scent also serves to deter potential predators - mainly munching herbivores.

Making Their Own Heat!

Skunk cabbage is one of the earliest flowering plants to bloom in the northeast and is typically found in wetlands. It is often awake in late February, well before snowmelt. In years when we haven't had such deep snow like this year, you can often see a circular ring of melt around the skunk cabbage flower. This is because it is one of the few plants capable of thermogenesis, the ability to metabolically generate heat. It can be 20 degrees warmer inside the spathe than the surrounding air temperature. This helps to vaporize the scent, attract pollinators, and guarantee conditions for optimal flower maturation & fertilization.

If successfully pollinated, the flowers will turn into a reddish-purple, egg-shaped compound fruit, and the spathe will wilt away. The large leaves unfurl after flowering, creating a sea of green by late April to early May.