wetland wildflower
Eastern Skunk Cabbage
Symplocarpus foetidus
Also known as Skunk Cabbage, Skunk-cabbage
1 of 2Native to much of the USA and southern Canada
Nova Scotia to Georgia, west to Minnesota and Iowa
- Light Full shade Sun tolerance
- Moisture Wet Moisture preference
- Zones 3–8 Cold to heat range
- Bloom Feb–Apr Flowering time
- Height up to 5 ft to 1.5 m
- Life cycle Perennial Annual to perennial
In the garden
A wetland wildflower for full shade and wet soil. Its yellow flowers peak in March. At up to 5 ft, it needs room in rain gardens, pond edges, and damp low spots. Hardy in USDA zones 3–8.
Growing conditions
Light
Full sun Partial shade Full shade
Moisture
Dry Moist Wet
Hardiness zones
Find your zone:
When it blooms
The Eastern Skunk Cabbage's yellow flowers bloom February to April, peaking in March. This early-spring display draws beetles and bees.
Eastern Skunk Cabbage blooms yellow, green & brownFoliage
Pollinators & wildlife
- Beetles Red Aquatic Leaf Beetle also Lustrous reed beetle
- Bees Western Honey Bee
Full plant details
Where it grows
- Habitat
- WetlandThe wild plant community it grows in.
- Native range
- Much of the USA and southern CanadaUnited States (23): CT, DC, DE, IA, IL, IN, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, TN, VA, VT, WI, WV. Canada (4): NB, NS, ON, QC. Where it grows wild on its own, by state and province.
- Native distribution
- Nova Scotia to Georgia, west to Minnesota and IowaThe same native range, usually more exact than the state list, and often noting where it has spread beyond it.
Growing conditions
- Light
- Full shadeHow much sun it takes, from full sun to full shade.
- Moisture
- WetThe soil dampness it prefers, from dry to wet.
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 3–8 · Canadian 4–7The cold-to-heat climate range it survives.
- Soil
- Damp, humus-rich soilThe soils it grows in naturally.
- Soil texture
- Light to heavy (sandy to clay)The soil grade it prefers, from sand to clay.
- Soil pH
- 4.0–7.0The acidity to alkalinity it tolerates (7 is neutral).
- Soil quality
- MediumHow rich a soil it needs. Many natives prefer lean soil and flop in rich beds.
- Water use
- HighHow thirsty it is, a rough guide to how often to water.
- Salinity tolerance
- NoneHow well it copes with salty soil, near roads or the coast.
- Lime (CaCO₃) tolerance
- LowHow well it copes with chalky, lime-rich soil.
Growth & form
- Height
- up to 5 ft (to 1.5 m)Typical mature height.
- Spread
- ~2 ft (0.5 m)How wide one plant gets, a guide to spacing.
- Life cycle
- PerennialWhether it lives a single season (annual), two (biennial), or returns for years (perennial).
- Growth rate
- ModerateA relative ranking versus other plants of the same type (USDA), not an absolute rate.
- Shape
- ErectIts overall silhouette.
- Root depth
- 12+ in (30+ cm)How far the roots reach, a guide to drought resilience and transplanting.
Flowers, foliage & fruit
- Type
- WildflowerWhat kind of plant it is.
- Bloom
- Feb–AprWhen it flowers.
- Flower color
- Yellow, Green, BrownThe bloom color, or colors.
- Fruit/Seeds
- ripens Mar–OctThe seed or fruit it sets after flowering.
- Toxicity
- Poisonous if eatenWhether any part is poisonous to people or pets.
Propagation & seed
- Cold stratification
- Not requiredWhether seed needs a cold, moist spell before it will germinate.
- Propagation
- Bare root, seedHow to start new plants.
- Seed
- ~0.1 million seeds per poundNotes on the seed and how to sow it.
- Seed spread rate
- SlowHow readily it self-sows. Slow or none means well-behaved, not a spreader.
- Seedling vigor
- MediumHow strongly young seedlings establish.
- Vegetative spread
- SlowWhether it creeps outward or stays put in a clump.