Skunk Cabbage
Growth Habit
HerbaceousPropagation
Seed Treatment and Storage: Keep seed moist. Needs cold/moist stratification. Standing the pot in water will help germination.
Biocultural Value
Skunk cabbage roots can be processed into starch and made into bread, but it may cause an unpleasant burning and puckering sensation a few minutes after ingestion. The young greens are more palatable but should be boiled in several changes of water. Skunk cabbage has documented uses among the Abnaki, Chippewa, Delaware, Haudenosaunee, Malecite, Menominee, Meskwaki, Micmac, Mohegan and Nanticoke. Its host of medicinal applications included anticonvulsant (for epilepsy), external antirheumatic, gynecological aid, and anthelmintic (worm medicine). The Haudenosaunee cooked the young leaves and shoots with salt, pepper or butter and even used a wash of the powdered root as an underarm deodorant.
Ingesting the plant can cause mouth pain and irritation thanks to the presence of oxalates. Overconsumption can lead to kidney failure and even death.
Wildlife Value
The colorful flower spathe is a warm refuge for insects in early spring. The carrion-like scent of the flowers attracts flies that lay their eggs in the flower and inadvertently cause cross-pollination. Slugs and snails occasionally feed on the foliage, while spiders take up residence inside the spathe to ambush visiting insects. Most herbivores avoid skunk cabbage foliage, but hungry black bears and snapping turtles may sample the leaves in early spring when they come out of hibernation. Wood ducks, ruffed grouse, ring-necked pheasants, and bobwhite quail eat skunk cabbage seeds.
