Eastern Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) is in the Arum Family family (Araceae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 4,554 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in March.
Nationally it blooms mainly from March to April, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.
When to photograph Eastern Skunk Cabbage: observations by month (U.S.)
About Eastern Skunk Cabbage
Symplocarpus foetidus, commonly known as skunk cabbage or eastern skunk cabbage (also swamp cabbage, clumpfoot cabbage, or meadow cabbage, foetid pothos or polecat weed), is a low growing, foul-smelling plant that grows in wetlands of eastern North America.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Eastern Skunk Cabbage by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 603 | March | Mar–Apr |
| New York | 560 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Massachusetts | 537 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Pennsylvania | 396 | March | Mar–Mar |
| New Jersey | 332 | March | Mar–Mar |
| Ohio | 280 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Wisconsin | 270 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Michigan | 255 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Maryland | 222 | March | Feb–Mar |
| Connecticut | 189 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Virginia | 185 | February | Jan–Mar |
| Minnesota | 154 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Indiana | 139 | March | Mar–Mar |
| Maine | 90 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Vermont | 84 | March | Mar–Apr |
| North Carolina | 82 | February | Jan–Mar |
| Rhode Island | 52 | March | Mar–Apr |
| West Virginia | 35 | March | Mar–Apr |
| New Hampshire | 26 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Delaware | 22 | March | Feb–Mar |
| District of Columbia | 20 | February | Feb–Mar |
| Iowa | 20 | March | Mar–Mar |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related wildflowers (Arum Family)
Photography tips
- Photograph flowers on calm, overcast mornings to avoid wind blur and harsh shadows.
- Get low: a shallow depth of field (f/2.8–f/5.6) isolates a bloom against soft color.
- Stay on trails — trampling meadows kills plants and ruins next year's display.
- Try a kaleidoscope abstract of a single bloom with our online kaleidoscope tool.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Eastern Skunk Cabbage?
Nationally, March has the most observations, with the main season from March to April.
Where is Eastern Skunk Cabbage most often seen?
The most observations come from Illinois, New York, Massachusetts.