Symplocarpus foetidus, Skunk Cabbage

[Tindomul]

This is the time of the year when this amazing little, or not so little Aroid pops out from under the snow, melting its way out and blooms. The blooms smell of skunk, and attracts flies and beetles and such other creatures that like that. They are rewarded by a nice hot home to rest in for the cold night through the amazing process of thermogenesis where the blooms heat up up to 35 degrees C above ambient temperatures, possible that they are rewarded by some food too, not sure. This plant is nearly impossible to dig out. It has a tap root about 4 feet long (deep), at least that is as far as I have gotten before breaking it. It also has many other roots and underground rhizomes that connect many of the plants you see in a location. Truly amazing. The flower is deceptively small at only around 6 cm tall, the biggest ones were about 15cm (6 inches).
Went to the local swamps and found them. My first time seeing them in bloom.
In the spring I will return to the same spot to get some pictures of the Jack in the Pulpits.






Hey Sue, you should get one of these if you ever make a pond,

[isurus79]

Thats really cool! Ive never even heard of such a creature!!