Skunk Cabbage in Illinois

First Native Wildflower to Bloom!

This post explores Eastern Skunk Cabbage, the first native spring wildflower to bloom in this part of northern Illinois. Earlier this week, I went out searching to see if any Symplocarpus foetidus were beginning to emerge through the fen and moist forest floor of a local Illinois Nature Preserve in Kane County. Sure enough, a few were already pushing up—appearing in all their early-season glory and unmistakable stinkiness.

Even after weeks of cold, snow-covered conditions, skunk cabbage is unfazed. This remarkable plant generates its own heat inside the spathe (the wine-colored hood), sometimes reaching temperatures up to 36 degrees warmer than the surrounding air. That warmth, combined with its skunk-like—or rotting meat—odor, attracts early pollinators, mostly flies but occasionally bees. By May, the large skunk cabbage leaves become surprisingly beautiful, often growing one to two feet tall and creating striking patterns when backlit by the sun, especially where the plants grow in abundance.

There are many fascinating facts about skunk cabbage, and if you’re inclined, a quick search will uncover even more intriguing details—from its perfect flowers (containing both male and female parts) to where and how it thrives. One particularly good read is this article: On the Hunt for the First Flower of Spring.

Did you know?

One of the most surprising traits of skunk cabbage is something you’d never notice above ground. Each year, it grows deeper into the earth, pulled downward by a massive root system that alternately expands and contracts. Because of this, it’s often said to be nearly impossible to dig out an old skunk cabbage plant. (Source: The Nature Institute)

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