APPEARANCE

Skunk cabbage has a bright yellow lantern-shaped flower that grows 25 centimetres tall from the base of its large green leaves. It has a strong “skunk” smell that attracts pollinating insects.

RANGE & HABITAT

It grows in swampy and moist areas in North America from Alaska to California. In B.C., this plant is found in the Coast and Mountains and Georgia Lowlands ecoprovinces.

LIFE CYCLE

Skunk cabbage is a perennial plant and it is one of the earliest flowers to bloom. In March or April a yellow flower and spike can be seen poking out of the wet areas where it is found. Bees pollinate the flowers in late spring, and the green leaves are usually not seen until a week after the flowers appear.

ANIMAL USES

Black bears eat the plant in spring as a laxative.

TRADITIONAL USES BY INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

The roots can steamed and eaten and used for medicine. The leaves can be used for packaging and serving food.

Visit this online interactive learning tool, Seeing Through Watchers’ Eyes, to learn the SENĆOŦEN name and other stories about this being! We recommend a desktop computer or laptop for ideal viewing. 

• Simply open the link here: https://sierraclub.bc.ca/watcherseyes/ 
• Scroll down to the Prezi 
• Click “present” 
• And move your cursor to point 205 along the navigation bar at the bottom of the screen 

OTHER USES

Skunk cabbage is not a common food source because their leaves have stinging crystals in them that burn the mouth and throat.

STATUS

COSEWIC: Not at Risk
CDC: Yellow

MORE INFORMATION

www.linnet.geog.ubc.ca

Photo: lilspikey