We’ve been monitoring this colony of Eastern Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) spathes and buds at least once a week, as you may know. They appear to be doing very well in the bog. (Image taken March 27, 2021)
The wine-colored spathes protect a fleshy spike (“spadix”) of tiny flowers that attract pollinators, but usually are never seen by others. However, sometimes the spathes are trampled or eaten and the innards are revealed. See below:.
Leighton Archive Image
The pale, spear-like buds next to the spathes will start to unfold into bright green leaves late next month or in early May, as you see in these archive images:
Slowly, a three- or four-foot rosette of large, oblong leaves will be formed by late May or early June to provide shade and hiding places for the bog’s smaller creatures:.
Leighton Archive Image
(Brooklin, Maine)