Skunk cabbage is stinky for a specific reason!!

 As I was covering my plants for the cold weather tonight, I was thinking about plants in general. I am looking forward to spring when the flowers begin to bloom and a summer garden. I decided to look for a weird, fun plant world fact. I learned something new about Skunk cabbage!

When growing up in Pennsylvania, USA, and taking walks in the woods, I remember smelling Skunk cabbage and knowing what it was and how the plant looked. It was quite common where I lived. I did not know the REASON for the smell! The plant actually warms up! It can melt through snow and bloom in the winter! The reason it does this is to release a rotting-meat smell and then heat makes the heat travel. The stench lures insects into thinking they have found something dead and as the insects land on it, they pollinate it! 

Today I learned something new about something I knew! 

Click the image to learn more about smelly Skunk cabbage and other weird, fun plants!!


 

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