Eastern Skunk Cabbage

Description

Eastern skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) is a perennial herb native to eastern North America with its range extending from southern Canada in the north, south to North Carolina, and west to Minnesota [1]. Eastern skunk cabbage is a plant in the family Aracea, a mostly tropical group of plants [3]. This plant is characterized by its large dark green leaves (up to 2ft in length) as well as the large flowering structure called a spathe [2]. Most significantly, the plant is named due to the unpleasant odor that is emitted from it's flowers and damaged leaves [3].