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Symplocarpus foetidus

Polecatweed · Skunk Cabbage · Eastern Skunk Cabbage

Family AraceaeGenus Symplocarpus

A pointed hood mottled deep maroon and yellow-green, twisted open down one side, pushing up through bright moss.
FlowerSue Sweeney.CC BY-SA 3.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

The plant

Habit
Ground Cover, Herbaceous Perennial, WildflowerExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Habit
perennialPlants of the World Online
Height
2-3 ft60-90 cmExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Spread
2-4 ft0.6-1.2 mExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Flower
Brown/Copper, Purple/LavenderExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Blooms
Spring, WinterExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Native range
Canada, lower 48 statesPLANTS Database
Hardiness zones
4-7Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Growing conditions

Sun
Dappled Sunlight; Deep shade; Partial ShadeExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Soil
Adapted to coarse, medium, fine textured soilsPLANTS Database
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Moisture
Frequent Standing Water, MoistExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Watering
Drought tolerance: LowPLANTS Database

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — NC State Extension; Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; PLANTS Database — USDA NRCS.

Worth knowing

Two sources report 4 treatments between them. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around February 8, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 56 days to germinate.

100% germination in 14–56 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Symplocarpus p. 80Public domain
Show the original text
Symplocarpus. (Araceae). S. foetidus is now found to require light like most swamp plants. This clarifies the previous confusing results. Seeds germ. 70L(100% in 2-8 w), 70 GA-3(80% in 2-4 w), and none in 70D.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Symplocarpus p. 80. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 8, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Gibberellic acid soak

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 28 days to germinate.

80% germination in 14–28 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Symplocarpus p. 80Public domain
Show the original text
Symplocarpus. (Araceae). S. foetidus is now found to require light like most swamp plants. This clarifies the previous confusing results. Seeds germ. 70L(100% in 2-8 w), 70 GA-3(80% in 2-4 w), and none in 70D.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Symplocarpus p. 80. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 3

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

No stated waiting before sowing.

0% germination.

Nothing germinated at 70.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Symplocarpus p. 80Public domain
Show the original text
Symplocarpus. (Araceae). S. foetidus is now found to require light like most swamp plants. This clarifies the previous confusing results. Seeds germ. 70L(100% in 2-8 w), 70 GA-3(80% in 2-4 w), and none in 70D.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Symplocarpus p. 80. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 4

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around December 8, 2026 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Clean the flesh off the seed

  2. Leach in running water

    Duration: 7 days

    Washed and cleaned daily for 7 days.

  3. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  4. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  5. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  6. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

    8 germinated in this phase.

Steps after step 4 run on after germination.

about 3 months from start to step 4. Germination happens during step 4, in 21 days.

60% germination in 7–21 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Symplocarpus p. 218Public domain
Show the original text
Symplocarpus (Araceae). S.foetidus germ. 40-70(60% in 1-3 w)-40- 70(8%) using fresh seeds WC for 7 d. Only roots developed at 70. The seeds act like small corms and roots develop from the top and turn down as in a mature plant. On shifting to 40 for 3 m and back to 70 vigorous root development commenced and some leaf development. It is suspected that leaf development would have been more vigorous at lower temperatures. Seeds started at 70 did not germinate over six cycles. At the end of the 6th cycle, half of the seeds were shifted to 70L whereupon 3/6 germ. in 3rd w (however they did not develop normally). The whole problem of photoresponse and optimum T for development of leaves must be reinvestigated. Seeds DS 6 m at 70 or 40 failed to germinate, although the seeds remained firm and unrotted for a number of cycles.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Symplocarpus p. 218. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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