Description
It’s funny how we ignore our native skunk cabbage or swamp lantern (Lysichiton americanum) when the Brits make such stunning use of it in their gardens. A harbinger of spring in the wild, moist places of BC, these swamp lanterns lift their large, golden yellow spathes in early spring followed by large “tropical” foliage up to 3 feet feet long. Moist soil, bog gardens or containers without drainage. The stems and leaves are eaten by bears and elk, though you might not want to invite them into your garden. That being said, I still haven’t seen any large mega fauna in my Vancouver garden and my skunk cabbage remains unscathed. Possibly hard to zone 3.
