Skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) is one of the first plants to appear in early spring. It is found in swamps and marshlands.
Skunk cabbage starts off as a greenish or reddish leathery bract that holds circular flowers. Tightly coiled leaves appear in a week or two. Cutting or bruising the leaves cause a skunky smell.
Skunk cabbage is inedible raw but can be heavily processed to create an edible product.
Skunk cabbage produces a root that is two inches thick and about a foot long. The root can be peeled, dried, and aged for 6 months. The dried root can be ground to a flour and added to pancakes or bread to impart a cocoa-like flavor to the dish.
Leaves that are less than 8 inches long can apparently be collected and boiled for five minutes in four changes of water to produce a mild tasting green. Some plants will still be inedible at this point due to high concentrations of calcium oxalate which cause a burning sensation in the throat. Leaves can also be dried and aged for many months. At this point they can be crumbled and used as an herb or flavoring.
Skunk cabbage has historically been used as a medicinal to treat cough and asthma. Freshly dried root was turned into a tea and taken in small doses.
Skunk cabbage must be differentiated from Indian poke/ green hellebore (Veratrum viride) which is very toxic in even small doses. Indian poke has pleated leaves that grow from a central stalk. Skunk cabbage is stalkless and has smooth leaves. Green hellebore leaves also lack the distinctive skunky scent when broken.
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Written by Amy Demers, founder of the Connecticut Foraging Club. To learn more about foraging in Connecticut, check out our upcoming classes.
