Scientific name: Lysichiton americanus
Synonym: Lysichitum americanum
Family: ARACEAE
Common names: “Skunk cabbage” “yellow skunk cabbage” “American skunk cabbage” “western skunk cabbage”
Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial, marginal aquatic
Conditions:
Zone: 7
Light: Part shade, rarely flowers in dense shade, can take full sun with lots of moisture
Exposure: Sheltered
Soil: Fertile, humus-rich loam at pool margins
Moisture: Moist – wet, grows in swamps
Aesthetic:
Plant Size: H 3-5′ W 2-3′
Leaf and Stem shape: Rich green, large oval leaves up to 3′
Flower: Unpleasantly-scented, bright yellow arum-like flowers in early spring
Maintenance: Low – zero
Landscape use: Ponds, bog garden, wetland conservation area, native garden
Propagate: By seed and rhizome offset
Pests & Disease: Generally healthy
*Deer resistant
Comments: Native to BC and the Pacific Northwest, considered an invasive species in some European countries, the large, waxy leaves were important for food preparation and storage but aren’t considered edible as they contain calcium oxalate crystals which can be fatal in large doses, used medicinally for burns, bears will eat the roots after hibernation as a laxative
Cultivars: Commonly confused for Symplocarpus foetidus – “Eastern skunk cabbage”
Lysichiton camptschatcensis – “Asian skunk cabbage” ~AGM winner, slightly smaller and doesn’t produce the same odor
