Skunk Cabbage

The Western Skunk Cabbage (Lysichiton americanus) grows in swamps and wet woods in the Pacific Northwest. It is one of the first flowers to appear in spring. The brilliant yellow spathes seem to light up dark corners of woods and near streams, so it is often referred to as Swamp Lantern. The plant has a distinctive and strong odor very similar to that of a skunk, which accounts for its other popular name, Skunk Cabbage.

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