Skunk Cabbage: 2022~25
I had seenthis exotic plantin the main copse in the western marsh and was notified of it by Jess Thomasson of the Environment agency in 2022
Skunk cabbage spreads from both its underground rhizome roots and from seed production. A large seed bank can build up in the soil and can remain viable for around 8-9 years, so control work is a lengthy and ongoing process. However the plant is slow growing and only plants of three years or older produce flowers and seeds.
https://www.invasivespecies.scot/american-skunk-cabbage
Aside from the unusual look and smell of the plant, there are no serious ecological or economic impacts.
However where there is a group of American Skunk Cabbage plants growing in a small area, they may shade out and compete with native plants.
https://ywt-data.org/inns-mapper/species/american-skunk-cabbage
As it is in a willow carr it is not particularly 'damaging'. However seeds may escape and cause issue etc.
I didn't notice any rhizome roots
So now I'll be getting rid of them starting 2023
Identification
They appear a darker green in the shade of the willow carr.
NOTE:
i) There is no stem the leaves come from the crown and soil
ii) There is hardly a defined set of veins and the leaves appear very smooth in the carr
iii) Having read it is slow growing and can take four years to seed I am only going to dig those over a foot high
2025
- March 21st Zero
- June 10th Found quite a few, one very large with 4ft leaves and a flower spike growing.
- June 15th 9 all near the large one above and none by the original patch of hundreds where I tied orange string to a tree to future locate.
2024
- August 18th 17 of which about 10 were between a foot and a 18" tall
- July 28th ~ 29th May have found some in the Himalayan balsam area A2 [F]
- July 23rd On route to collect a single large specimen of Giant Hogweed I found a few dozen but all under 32cmm in height with only two leaves so shall leave them for an other couple of weeks or so.
However the plant is slow growing and only plants of three years or older produce flowers and seeds.
- May 30th Well! Those seen on 21st seems to be struggling so will leave them for 2 or 3 weeks
- May 21st Found maybe a couple of dozen but the priority was a) to search a wider area and b) to mark adjacent trees for future location. Luckily I only found them at the one main location which now has a small piece of orange polypropylene tied to a willow that overhangs the spot.
- May 8th 77 Only three taller than 6" many smaller
2023
- August 24th 53 All are small under 10" and one was a multiple regeneration from a root I had cut through.
- July 13th 9 The 6 are from 23" to 45" leaf length, most from a newly discovered patch, none flowering
- June 12th 6 + 45 The 6 are from 9" to 32" leaf length, the 45 are c ones with leaves 4 to 5 inches and below. Work done with Gavin
- May 25th 32 + 450 The 32 are from 9" to 32" leaf length, the 450 are clumps of ones with leaves 4 to 5 inches and below. I think these are from where I stepped on seeds in April as mentioned below, and pushed them into fertile soil. I will mark the adjacent tree for future ref. Work done with Gavin
- April 19th 67 I'm pretty sure I saw hundreds of seeds so will have to confirm and check that.
Heap of 67, only one flowering 19th April
2022
