Western Skunk Cabbage

Like a candle lit to end the winter darkness, the Western Skunk Cabbage (Lysichiton americanus) seems to burn against last year's decayed leaves. This aromatic plant, indigenous to boggy areas in the Pacific Northwest, is one of the first to bloom in the spring. Another similarity to candles is that these plants generate heat - sufficient to melt snow if there's any around them when they decide to bloom. I stumbled on these yesterday in the forest near Hatley Park.