Native Plants

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Monday - April 02, 2012

From: Berrien Springs, MI
Region: Midwest
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Plant identification
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

I found a plant on a small island about the size of a hand. It is spring so plant is just coming out of the ground. It is wrapped around a bulb/flower light color with little knobs on it. The outside wrap is dark green with light green streaks and it is somewhat hard, not like soft leaves. It reminded me of a sea shell and the curlie cue on top reminded me of dairy queen. What is it? THanks.

ANSWER:

Plants are almost impossible to identify by description alone. The only plant that comes to mind that sounds to me like any sort of match to your description is a newly emerging Symplocarpus foetidus (Skunk cabbage).

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If this isn't what you saw and you do have photographs of the plant, you can find links to several Plant Identification Forums on our Plant Identification page that will accept photos for identification.

From the Image Gallery

Skunk cabbage
Symplocarpus foetidus