One of the first springtime plants to begin growing in the swampy area behind our home is the skunk cabbage. This plant gets its name from the foul odor it gives off when it is damaged. The flower or spadix as it is called, also gives off an odor to attract flies to serve as pollinators. The spadix is protected by the maroon colored modified leaf called the spathe which appears early on in the plant's life cycle. The spadix gives off heat during a two week period of development, often melting the snow that may surround it as it emerges from the ground. The leaves first emerge with a scroll like appearance, and begin to unfurl. The leaves can grow to three feet in length. Visit http://natureinstitute.org/pub/ic/ic4/skunkcabbage.htm for a great essay about this plant.
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