New Beginning...

The Vernal Equinox is fast approaching, and now is the time to go to the swamp. That is where I find my favorite Spring flower. The Spring bird I favor, granted a little strange, is the Turkey Vulture and my favorite Spring flower is Skunk Cabbage. Symplocarpus foetidus is pushing up through the muck and snow to adorn the swamp, in the North Country. Perhaps in your area it bloomed in February. It is very alien in appearance. Its' shell like spathe varies in color from green to burgundy and surrounds a heavy spadix, bearing flowers containing both stamens and pistils. This is a "son before father" plant, in which the blooms arrives before the leaves. The leaves become extremely large a have a foetid odor if crushed. I also enjoy Crocus and Snowdrops but, Skunk Cabbage has panache.