Skunk cabbage, Symplocarpus foetidus - a very interesting species

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1056061}}

Oops, didn't see that last bit. What makes you think it isn't skunk cabbage?

I guess it was the photos of the nasty-looking first growth coming out of the ground like dog poo....I guess the poo turns into this gorgeous creature of a plant?

Dog poo - haha! You mean the skunk cabbage flowers? They are very interesting. Did you know that those dog-poo's can be 30 to 60 degrees warmer inside the flower than the air temperature around the plant? A great way to attract some early spring insects to the flowers. Here's a short article for you...

FataMorgana

Here is a link that might be useful: Skunk Cabbage article

The flowers appear before the leaves, and are usually the first flowers of the spring. They disappear by this time of year, or at least I never notice them at this time of the year once the leaves grow in.

"Did you know that those dog-poo's can be 30 to 60 degrees warmer inside the flower than the air temperature around the plant?"
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Well, I learned it after amelanchier's link, but thanks for yours, too. Despite it's name and the dog-poo flower I am going to add this plant to my wish-list for my sahde garden. Right now I just have a couple divided hostas and a Tradescantia hybrid for non-natives. I want to put up a Wild Ones yardsign and maybe get the opportunity to share with others the benefits of natives.