Skunk cabbage has the dual distinction of having one of the least-appealing names and the earliest blooms of our local spring wildflowers. Let’s focus on the positive, though, because it’s already been a long winter, and I’m ready for spring.
Look for skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) in low, wet areas and along drainages. It’s abundant where the Cross County Trail runs along Difficult Run, as shown below, but it can be found throughout our area in suitable habitats where the ground stays wet most of the year. The muted colors and mottled patterns of the flowers (spathes) can make them easy to miss when they emerge in January and February. However, the large, showy green leaves make the plants quite conspicuous from March to July, before they die back at the end of the summer. The plant’s range extends across eastern North America from Tennessee and North Carolina north to Ontario and Quebec. 
This interesting plant conquers cold temperatures and snow by being thermogenic, meaning it can warm itself to thaw the surrounding area as it emerges. It often emerges through snow, as in the photo at the top of this post, which I took a few days ago in Great Falls. Although it contains several toxins, the plant has been used in both Native American medicine and as a 19th-century pharmaceutical. 
So about that name… The “cabbage” part is easy to understand because of the large green leaves, but the species name foetidus hints at a fetid odor. Indeed, the flowers do have an unpleasant smell that some people liken to a skunk’s scent. Nevertheless, I’m happy to see skunk cabbage emerging, with the promise of longer days and warmer temperatures ahead.