Skunk Cabbage Returns

If you've been in some of the damper outdoor areas over the last month, there's a pretty good chance you've run across our Skunk Cabbage. Note that this is different from (though related to) plants called ... Skunk Cabbage and Skunk Cabbage (found in the western US and Asia respectively).

The name comes from the plant's skunky odor and large leafy appearance; there's no evidence that skunks use it to make coleslaw or sauerkraut. 😁

Though humans may not enjoy the smell of this plant, it could be considered one of the earliest harbingers of spring. Skunk Cabbage is one of the few plants capable of generating temperatures way above (nearly 100F above) ground/air temperatures. While other plants can't muscle through the frozen ground, the Skunk Cabbage can melt its surrounding soil enough to sprout up before its plant neighbors. And this ability no doubt lets them handle at least short cold snaps that might kill off other early-sprouting plants.

March 22, 2022 at Washington Valley Reservoir
Photo 186774073, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)



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