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.
Origin
1745-55, Americanism
Examples from the web for skunk cabbage
Honestly, find one and compare: stink bugs are to cilantro what skunks are to skunk cabbage.
At this time of year, her mission includes trips to a the swamp, to take the temperature of skunk cabbage.
skunk cabbage is up in the swamps along the train tracks.
She cures his bellyache with skunk cabbage and wild mint, sucks out his earwax, tells his fortune.
She enjoyed the salmon wrapped in skunk cabbage, it was juicy and tender, but the leaf stunk.
The area is delightful in spring with golden marsh-marigolds and skunk cabbage in bloom.
At sites near the coast, skunk cabbage may be a prominent understory species.
Two of the first plants to push through the ground in spring, along with the skunk cabbage, are the wild leek and the wild garlic.
British Dictionary definitions for skunk cabbage
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