Skunk Cabbage is a perennial herb in the Araceae family with large, heart shaped foliage. Its name originates from its appearance, Symplocarpus translating to 'connected fruits', while foetidus refers to the plant's unpleasant odor. Its flowers, which appear before the leaves, are small and form in a greenish-yellow spadix or spike surrounded by a red-purple-brown spathe or sheath. The flowers have the ability to chemically heat themselves giving the plant the ability to melt its way through snow, earning the recognition as the first flower of spring. Although they are attractive and bloom early, the flowers as well as the leaves have a foul smell if bruised. This odor is said to have the scent of decaying flesh which lures insects who pollinate the plant. Typically found in bogs, swamps, wet meadows, and very wet woods its native habitat includes swamps and muddy locations. Once planted, its roots firmly take hold, making transplanting extremely difficult. Its future may be threatened by the decline in wetlands in some locations. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious issues with diseases or insects.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Soil drainage
Frequent Standing Water | Moist
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in. | Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping; Creeping; Horizontal; Prostrate
Texture
Medium
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Sheath
Leaf shape
Cordate; Ovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Large ovate to cordate (heart-shaped), ribbed/veined leaves. Broad at the base. They are produced after flowering. They will wither away by summer's end.
Flower color
Brown/Copper; Purple/Lavender
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Spadix
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Fleshy purple to reddish-brown spathe wraps around a heavy round spadix. Tiny 1/4" flowers grow near the ground on the spadix. Each flower has 4 sepals and its reproductive organs. Flies are attracted to an odor that is emitted from the blooms. Foul, skunk-like odor.
Bloom time
Spring; Winter
Fruit color
Black; Brown/Copper; Green; Purple/Lavender
Fruit size
> 3 inches long, > 3 inches wide
Fruit detail
The fruits emerge after the flower blooms. The 4" x 3" fruits start out green, turn to a dark purple and later a dark color before disintegrating. Each fruit contains a 1/3" seed which if not removed from the plant can fall to the ground, where it is likely to germinate.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Eastern Canada to North Central & Eastern U.S.A
Distribution
CT, DC, DE, IA, IL, IN, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, TN, VA, VT,m, WI, WV
Wildlife value
Birds are attracted to this plant, as well as some herbivores.
Burning and swelling of the lips, tongue, and throat. Nausea, excessive drooling, vomiting (not horses), difficulty swallowing, and diarrhea may also occur.