Skunk Cabbage in Detail.

Skunk cabbage is striking in every way. In wet forests, the plants' skunky odor can fill the air. Like all members of the Arum family, the inflorescence is composed of multiple small flowers covering a fleshy spike. When the inflorescence emerges, the spike is surrounded by a single bright yellow modified leaf, or spathe. The spathe can be up to a foot long. The flowers emerge in late spring or early summer, before any of the leaves do. The nickname "swamp lantern" comes from the large yellow spathes. The flowers provide early food for deer, bears, and other forest animals.
The green leaves appear in early to mid-summer. Each single leaf can grow to over a meter tall. The leaves all radiate out from the base of the plant. They are smooth and shiny, with smooth margins. Large patches of skunk cabbage can grow in one area, covering the forest floor.
CAUTION: All parts of the skunk cabbage contain crystals which can damage the human mouth and intestinal tract. Do not consume these plants!

Understory of rainforest, especially muddy or wet areas. Can be the dominant plant in poorly drained soils.