skunk cabbage

noun

1. a low, fetid, broad-leaved North American plant, Symplocarpus foetidus, of the arum family, having a brownish-purple and green mottled spathe surrounding a stout spadix, growing in moist ground.
2. a related plant, Lysichiton americanum, of western North America, having a cluster of green leaves and a spike of flowers surrounded by a yellow spathe.

skunk cabbage

noun

1. a low-growing fetid aroid swamp plant, Symplocarpus foetidus of E North America, having broad leaves and minute flowers enclosed in a mottled greenish or purple spathe
2. a similar aroid plant, Lysichitum americanum, of the W coast of North America and N Asia

Word History and Origins

Origin of skunk cabbage¹

An Americanism dating back to 1745–55