Skunk Cabbage

Western Skunk Cabbage is one of the first plants to break out and bloom in the spring, with its flowers surrounded by a bright yellow sheath called a spathe. Their names comes from the "skunky" odor produced by the flowers. Why, you ask, would a plant stink? Well, it call comes down to how this particular plan co-evolved with its pollinators. In this case, Skunk Cabbage had evolved to be pollinated by flies and beetles that are attracted by the foul scent of decay.

(April, 2020)

This is basically the same plant from yesterday's photo. Notice how much less verdant the floodplain is in the early spring, and how much the leaves grow throughout the summer.