Not all plants wait for the spring to start growing. Skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetid) starts growing in the winter and can generate its own heat and even melt snow around it when the ground is frozen. According to Wikipedia, skunk cabbage “is notable for its ability to generate temperatures of up to 27–63 °F (15–35 °C) above air temperature by cyanide resistant cellular respiration in order to melt its way through frozen ground, placing it among a small group of thermogenic plants.” I spotted these skunk cabbage plants this past Saturday at Occoquan Regional Park.
So why am I interested in this plant? Several types of dragonflies, including the Arrowhead Spiketail dragonfly and the Gray Petaltail dragonfly can be found in the kind of forest seeps where skunk cabbage grows. I am conducting advance reconnaissance of locations to explore when dragonfly season finally arrives. Last year I spotted my first dragonflies in early April, so I have “only” three months to wait for the opening of the 2021 dragonfly season.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Fascinating; I’ve never previously come across the concept of thermogenic plants. Brilliant adaptation to colder climates.
Here’s a link to a photo by one of my friends, Steve Gingold, of skunk cabbage pushing out through the snow–it is pretty amazing. https://sggphoto.wordpress.com/2015/03/02/03-02-2015-skunked/ Another friend related to me that in Alaska, bears look for skunk cabbage to eat when they first wake up from hibernation. It does not provide a lot of nutrition, but it helps to get the digestive system going again, serving as nature’s version of ex-lax.
Thanks for the mention and the link, Mike!
I would love to snag similar shots, but we have had so little snow the last few years that it is tough to get images of skunk cabbages in the ice and snow.
This is realy exeptional, never heard of it before. After looking for more pictures on the internet, I have the impression that thee are yellow species which I saw as garden or house plants. (but not very sure).
Here is a link to a posting I did last year that shows full-grown skunk cabbage and a dragonfly perching on the leaves of one of the plants in a seepy area that I like to visit. https://michaelqpowell.com/2020/07/10/gray-petaltail-habitat/
Great Image Mike! Very Sharp looking!
Thanks, Reed.
When I lived near Seattle and ran trails in the surrounding soggy foothills, the first wildflower spotted in “spring” was usually that of a skunk cabbage, followed quickly by the much more alluring trillium.
They’re called skunk cabbage for a reason. They really do stink!
It’s too bad we can’t harness these to heat our homes in the depths of winter. 🙂
That would a great renewable heat source, though I sure there are lots of reasons why it wouldn’t work. I guess that geothermal heating is the closest we come to using natural sources to help with heating.
Fascinating. An almost warm blooded plant!
We saw these for the first time traveling some place in the south. Had no idea they generate their own heat! Great shot. The army? Training came through with your advance reconnaissance terminology. Guess my Jack Reacher reading is showing through! I am at the end of Lee Child’s writings I think. He better get busy! He carried me through this pandemic with fewer mental problems thanks to the distraction of reading his books.
My 20 years in the Army definitely influenced me a good deal, including in my vocabulary. A number of people are surprised to learn that I was in the Army, though, because I do not match up very well with their preconceived notions about military officers.