Help identify strange swamp cabbage on our property?

April 1, 2008 1:58 PM

Can anyone help me identify this odd cabbage-like plant that we have tons of growing on our property? Pictures and more description inside.

It's springtime in Delaware (well, in lots of places, but we're in Delaware), and so we get to enjoy seeing what plants we have at our new house. We're trying to identify a strange, cabbage-like plant that grows (from "horns a few months ago") in the marshy areas near the stream which runs through our yard. There are a ton of them, and so we'd like to know what they are!

I'm no horticulturist, but I know some of you may be. Anyone know what this is/may be? Any info would be helpful. We're not so much concerned as extremely curious.

Overview picture
Closeup
Picture of plant and horn

posted by JMOZ to home & garden (15 comments total)

Looks like Skunk Cabbage.
posted by disaster77 at 2:00 PM on April 1

It's a little early to tell from the fuzzy phots. They could be hostas or mayapples.
posted by Pollomacho at 2:01 PM on April 1

Seconding Skunk Cabbage
posted by munchingzombie at 2:03 PM on April 1

But the page for skunk cabbage says that the leaves don't emerge until summer. I would have suggested a hosta of some sort, only because they grow in that horn-type formation.
posted by cabingirl at 2:12 PM on April 1

Skunk Cabbage is pretty easy to identify - just pull up a plant and smell the stalk. Something I haven't done since I was about 5 years old!
posted by thomas144 at 2:12 PM on April 1

Hmm, certainly looks A LOT like skunk cabbage.... It's already been pretty warm here, so perhaps the leaves are a bit early?

I'll try and smell it later, but in the mean time, keep those suggestions coming.
posted by JMOZ at 2:32 PM on April 1

Skunk Cabbage has a purple horn thing.
posted by agropyron at 2:39 PM on April 1

Agreeing with skunk cabbage, which does come out in early spring. The wet, shady landscape is certainly prime skunk cabbage growing medium.
posted by weebil at 2:47 PM on April 1

Crush a leaf - if it stinks, it's skunk cabbage.
posted by The Light Fantastic at 2:50 PM on April 1

Skunk cabbage.
posted by KokuRyu at 4:09 PM on April 1

Definitely Skunk Cabbage. You also have garlic mustard and a species of jewelweed growing there.

Given the emergence of the jewelweed seedlings, I would say your skunk cabbage is just about on time, although perhaps a little bit earlier compared to what it should be. Its been relatively warm though.
posted by buttercup at 5:37 PM on April 1

Skunk cabbage, without a doubt. No need to even give it a sniff. It's a wetland obligate species- you got yourself a wetland... Cool.

You live in Delaware, so I'm guessing with that wetland you are hearing a lot of spring peepers (tiny vocal frogs) every night right about now.
posted by Patapsco Mike at 6:07 PM on April 1

What color does it turn when it's mature?
posted by gjc at 7:27 PM on April 1

Yeah, I guess it's skunk cabbage. Thanks for the info about the other plants, buttercup. I think I need to get some sort of guide to the plants we have.

Patapsco- yesterday before dusk was the first time I REALLY heard the frogs a lot. Probably because it was exceptionally warm (nearly 70F).

Thanks all!
posted by JMOZ at 8:43 AM on April 2

It's stinky, but it's a really cool plant. It's an ancient tropical remnant that has adapted to cooler climates- it generates it's own heat via cellular respiration, which allows it to melt snow and ice as it pushes through the soil.
posted by oneirodynia at 10:59 AM on April 3