The National Biodiversity Data Centre Documenting Ireland’s Wildlife American skunk cabbage Invasive: Medium impact Lysichiton americanus Species profi le Habitat: Terrestrial. Needs wet areas. Distribution in Ireland: Sparse distribution but locally abundant in some places. Status: Established. Family name: Araceae. Reproduction: Male and female (sometimes hermaphrodite) flowers can occur within the same distinctive inflorescence which consists of a spathe and spadix. Pollination is carried out by beetles in North America. Identifying features Colour: Large green leaf surrounds a yellow spathe within which is a green/yellow spadix (a spike of inflorescence). Smell: As the name suggests, the plant emits a foul smelling odour when damaged/crushed or when dying back. Size: Can grow up to 1.5 metres. American skunk cabbage plants at almost full height - C. O’ Flynn Size of American skunk cabbage spike and spadex against hand - C. O’Flynn Emerging leaf of American skunk cabbage - Shutterstock First published 2013 First Please report your sightings of this species at: http://invasives.biodiversityireland.ie American skunk cabbage Invasive: Medium impact Threats Forms dense stands which can shade out native species. Its preference for wet soils means that the seed can easily be dispersed via waterbodies. Seasonal variations Winter – Spring: Late flowering plant. Summer – Autumn: Green berries ripen in July and August. Similar species Shape of the flower could be confused with native Arum maculatum, but Arum maculatum has a smaller spathe and differs in colour from bright yellow spathes of Lysichiton americanus. American skunk cabbage showing the spathe covering the spadex - Shutterstock Arum maculatum is native to Ireland which has a spadex Planted American skunk cabbage, notice how the spadex outgrows the spathe which once shielded it - Shutterstock surrounding by a spathe L.Lysaght View Ireland’s distribution of this species on http://maps.biodiversityireland.ie Biodiversity National Biodiversity Data Centre fact sheet. Produced with funding from The Heritage Council Maps and the EPA STRIVE Programme 2007-2013 Text: Colette O' Flynn & Oisín Duffy (Version 1) November 2013..