It is in the cattails or other tall marsh vegetation that the females weave their nests. Look for this near Skunk Cabbage Bridge, between trail posts K4 and K5. Both the common and scientific names give a clue to the aroma of the inflorescence. Foetidus is the Latin word from which the word fetid comes, means to have a heavy, offensive odor . The leaves of the skunk cabbage also have a fetid odor, most notable when the leaves are crushed.
Skunk cabbage is a fascinating plant for several reasons.
First is the ability of the plant to generate heat. The heat is generated when the sugars produced by photosynthesis are transformed into other molecules. The process used by skunk cabbage to break down the sugars is very inefficient, so the heat is produced. Skunk cabbage can be 10 C warmer than the surrounding air. It is not actually a blossom at all, but is a modified leaf called a spathe.