Skunk Cabbage - Lysichiton americanus

• Family: Araceae - Arum Family ^[E-flora]
• Calcium oxalate, Plant (With Caution), Wax paper substitute, Rheumatism, Poultice, Smoke

Description

"Lysichiton americanus is a PERENNIAL growing to 1 m (3ft 3in) by 0.8 m (2ft 7in) at a slow rate."
"It is hardy to zone (UK) 6. It is in flower in April, and the seeds ripen from Jun to July. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects.Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers wet soil and can grow in water." ^[PFAF]

Hazards

• Calcium Oxalate: Swamp cabbage contains a high concentration of calcium oxalate ^[Schofield], microscopic bundles of needle-like crystals. These are found in the stems, leaves, and underground parts. ^{[Turner, Kuhnlein]} If consumed makes the mouth and digestive tract feel as though hundreds of needles are being stuck into it. [172] ^[PFAF] Fortunately, the initial burning almost always prevents a person from ingesting seriously toxic quantities of these plants.^{[Turner, Kuhnlein]}
• Detoxification: Many guides recommend boiling the plant to remove toxins, but several changes of water must be used, and the result is a rather flavorless pulp. One source states that boiling is not always effective and THOROUGH drying is the only completely reliable method for removing toxins. ^[Schofield]
• Lookalike: During early growth, both Skunk Cabbage and false hellebore (Veratrum viride) could easily be mistaken for one another with deadly consequence.^[2] False hellebore leaves have parallel veins and a pleated appearance. Swamp cabbage has net-veined leaves. ^[Schofield]
• Herbal Use: Taken in large quantities by itself, swamp cabbage can provoke nausea and vomiting; it is often used in combination with gentler herbs.^[Schofield]

Food Use

• Plant Seems to have been used mainly as a famine food in early spring when other, preferable foods were not available. ^{[Turner, Kuhnlein]}
• Young Shoots: Must be thoroughly cooked otherwise poisonous[172]. Cooked in several changes of water, the end result being a tasteless mush[172]. ^[PFAF]
• Leaves: Leaves were boiled in two changes of water and eaten in the spring. Leaves were also dried, powdered and mixed with berries or salmon eggs as a preservative or thickener.[256] ^{[Turner, Kuhnlein][PFAF]}
• Leaf Stalk: leaf-stalks were roasted and eaten ^{[Turner, Kuhnlein]}
• Flower Stalk: Steamed and eaten, though sparingly. ^{[Turner, Kuhnlein]} Cooked[256]. Only used when there was a shortage of other foods, the stalks must be thoroughly cooked or else they are poisonous[256]. It is said that no more than three stalks should be consumed at one meal[257]. ^[PFAF]
• Rootstalks: Early spring or fall.^[Schofield] The root is best harvested in the autumn[256]. ^[PFAF]
  • Preparation: It must be thoroughly cooked or dried before use, otherwise it is poisonous[61, 105, 118, 207]. Rich in starch, a flour can be made from the dried and ground root[212]. ^[PFAF] They are rendered safe by drying and roasting. ^[Schofield] They were roasted and eaten in early spring and were steamed and eaten by others. Sometimes cooked to a "flour-like" consistency before eating. Boiled or pit-cooked. Eaten as a spring tonic or used only as medicine. ^{[Turner, Kuhnlein]}
  • Properties: The root has a hot flavour, somewhat like ginger[256].^[PFAF] The fleshy rhizomes have a strong, peppery taste due to the presence of calcium oxalate crystals. The dried powdered root is cocoalike in aroma and flavor. ^{[Turner, Kuhnlein]}

Other Use

"Although most people regarded the leaves as "poisonous," due to their rank smell and their calcium oxalate crystals, their use in food preparation apparently did not cause any tainting of the food; the waxy outer coating of the leaves protected the food." ^{[Turner, Kuhnlein]}

• Cooking Tool: Older leaves used to wrap up food that was being baked. The leaves would impart a pleasant flavouring[257]. ^[PFAF] They were employed by virtually all Northwest Coast groups, used as makeshift plates and folded to make temporary dippers. ^{[Turner, Kuhnlein]} The leaves are large and water repellent, they can be used as a 'waxed paper'[99, 256]. They were also folded and used as containers for collecting berries, as drinking cups and as a covering or mat for food that was being dried[257]. ^[PFAF]
  • When used in drying berries, the leaves were prepared by slicing off the thick mid-rib and dipping the leaves in boiling water or holding them over a fire for a short time to "wilt" them. They were then set on a wooden drying rack and the cooked, mashed berries poured onto them, usually into a rectangular wooden frame to contain them. ^{[Turner, Kuhnlein]}

Medicinal Use

• Leaves:
  • Harvesting: Spring to summer. ^[Schofield]
  • Poultice: A poultice of the leaves has been applied to scrofulous sores, burns, cuts, swellings and chest pains[257]. The heated leaves were applied to the body in order to draw out splinters and thorns[257]. ^[PFAF]
  • Tonic: The leaves have been used as a general tonic in a herbal sweat bath[257]. ^[PFAF]
  • Headache: The odor of crushed leaves was inhaled for headache. ^[Schofield]
• Flowers
  • Poultice: A poultice of the heated blossoms has been applied to rheumatic joints[257]. ^[PFAF].
• Sap: Sap used as a treatment for ringworm.^[Schofield]
• Root
  • Harvesting:The dried rootstock has a short shelf life. It can be collected in spring for use through the summer, and in autumn for winter use. ^[Schofield].
  • Tea: This tea is an ideal beverage for smokers, as well as those with coughs, colds, or asthma. Used for catarrh and bronchitis. ^[Schofield].
  • Dosage: Dosage suggested is one ounce herb to one cup boiling water steeped for thirty minutes. Sip a wineglassful three times daily. ^[Schofield]. "RHIZOME AND ROOT. Tincture [Fresh Root 1:2, Dry Root, 1:5, 50% alcohol], 20-60 drops." ^{[Moore(1995)]}
  • Ointment: Ointment prepared from swamp cabbage rhizome is recommended for skin tumors and ulcerous sores. It's reported very effective for relieving pain and promoting healing. ^[Schofield]
  • Blood Purifier: A decoction of the root has been drunk as a blood purifier[257]. ^[PFAF]
  • Smoke: The smoke of burning roots was inhaled by Native North Americans to treat influenza and rheumatism and to promote pleasant dreams (Smith 1929; Foster and Hobbs 2002). ^[UAPDS]
  • Used to treat diabetes. ^{[Ramzan PESR]}

Activities

• Root:
  • Abortifacient: The raw root has been chewed by women in order to secure an abortion[257]. ^[PFAF]
  • Antispasmodic: ^[PFAF] The rootstock is famed for its antispasmodic properties. ^[Schofield]
  • Styptic: ^[PFAF] The dried, ground rootstalk was used as a styptic for cuts. ^[Schofield]

Cultivation

Swamp cabbage can be cultivated in wet ground. Propagate by division or seeds.^[Schofield] "Requires a wet or damp humus-rich soil in full sun or semi-shade[200]. Plants often do not flower when grown in the shade[99]. Grows well by water or in the bog garden[1]. Succeeds in shallow water and also in still or flowing water[188]. Hardy to at least -15^oc[200]. Young plants require protection from slugs[187]. Plants are slow to establish at first, taking some years, but can then become naturalized and often self-sow[200]. The flowers have an unpleasant aroma[187] which is rather like a combination of skunk, carrion and garlic[245]. This smell attracts flies and midges in great numbers to pollinate the flowers and so spiders tend to like making their webs in the plant so they can catch lots of food[245]. Hybridizes with L. camtschatcense[200]." ^[PFAF]

Groundcover: "The plants have very large leaves and form a slowly spreading clump. They can be grown as a ground cover, spaced about 1 metre apart each way[208]." ^[PFAF]

Propagation

"The seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in pots in a cold frame[134]. Keep very moist, preferably by emmersing the pot in 2 -3 cm of water[200]. Germination is usually good, taking place within 1 - 2 months at 15^oc[134]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in trays of water in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division in the middle of autumn or mid to late winter, but no later than this because the plant will be coming into growth." ^[PFAF]

References

• [E-flora] Lysichiton americanus, http://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Lysichiton%20americanus, Douglas, G.W., G.B. Straley, D.V. Meidinger, and J. Pojar (editors). 1998-2002. Illustrated Flora of British Columbia. Volume 1-8. B.C. Ministry of Environment, Lands & Parks and B.C. Ministry of Forests. Victoria., In Klinkenberg, Brian. (Editor) 2013. E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Plants of British Columbia [eflora.bc.ca]. Lab for Advanced Spatial Analysis, Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver. [Accessed: April 23, 2014]
  
• [2] Personal Observation and notes. http://www.phytoday.org
  
• [PFAF] http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Lysichiton+americanus, Accessed Oct 5, 2016