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From the Ground Up
22 Farmville the Magazine From the Ground Up
Skunk Cabbages:
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A Welcome Sign of Spring
In late January, the local Master Naturalists and I spent a chilly afternoon roaming through a wet area searching for an elusive plant that is so well camouflaged that sometimes the best way to find one is to step on it. Yes, we were searching for skunk cabbages (Symplocarpus foetidus) in my favorite location at Holliday Lake State Park. For some of us, looking for these odd plants is an annual ritual and the first wildflower hike of the year.
There aren’t as many skunk cabbages as last year, but it’s also quite possible that we just didn’t see many of the smaller ones because they were hidden in the snow and soggy leaf litter. Even when skunk cabbages can’t be seen, however, there’s still a reliable way to find them: follow the scent. Yes, true to their name, these plants have an odor similar to that of a skunk. It’s very distinctive when wafting on crisp early morning air.
Skunk cabbages appear here in the Piedmont anytime from late November to February. Timing is definitely variable, so it’s hard to say whether skunk cabbages are the last plant of the year to bloom or the first. No matter: for many of us, they mean that spring is coming.
The first sign of a skunk cabbage’s presence is the emergence of the thick, fleshy, spiral-shaped spathe, a modified leaf. The spathe varies in color and shape. It can be deep maroon colored or yellowish green with maroon markings. Some spathes are spirals, while other are straighter and more like hoods. Seeing lots of spathes is like being in a sculpture garden.
Inside the spathe is the spherical, yellowish spadix on which tightly packed, tiny flowers are arranged. The flowers don’t have petals, just four sepals. The flowers are “open” when the stamens push above and between the sepals and release yellow pollen. The style grows out of the center of each flower, ready to be pollinated. After pollination, deep reddish fruits begin to grow; they will eventually drop to the ground and begin to grow the following spring. Skunk cabbages don’t spread vegetatively via branching roots.
Skunk cabbages are well known for their ability to push out of the ground through ice and snow. The inflorescences are thermogenic and thermoregulatory, so the temperature of the spadix can be maintained significantly
Photo by Mary Ames The skunk cabbage flowers are located on a spike inside a modified leaf called a spathe.
Photo by Dr. Cynthia Wood Above, the local Master Naturalists searched for skunk cabbages in a swampy area at Holliday Lake State Park. Overleaf above, The skunk cabbage spathe can vary in color from yellow and red to deep maroon with yellow speckles. Overleaf below, Skunk cabbages are obligate wetland plants, meaning they’re only found in wetlands.
higher than that outside the spathe. How? By increasing the rate of respiratory heat production when ambient temperatures decrease. Even a small drop in the temperature of florets on the spadix increases their respiration rate, rather than decreasing it as might be expected.
Often there is a spear-shaped, pale green bud poking from the ground beside the spathe. This bud contains all the tightly furled leaves that will develop on the plant. If dissected, there are layers of both leaves and tiny spathes, enough for several years. This plant plans ahead!
The leaves don’t begin to grow until the spathe starts to wilt. The emerging leaves are bright green, 4 to 5 feet long, and unfold in a spiral pattern. They contain few woody fibers, but lots of water. By late May or early June, the leaves start to decay or essentially melt. They develop holes, droop, and turn black and slimy.
The skunk cabbage has pencil-sized roots that emerge from a rhizome; there is no taproot. The roots have ring-shaped wrinkles, indicating that they are contractile and capable of pulling the plant deeper into the ground. Digging up a mature skunk cabbage plant is virtually impossible.
If you find some skunk cabbages, you’ll know that you’re in a wetland; skunk cabbages are obligate wetland plants. They’re not beautiful in the way that a pink lady’s slipper is, but have their own unique charm and sense of grace. The more time I spend observing them, the more fascinated I am by these amazing plants.
Photo by Mary Ames
Farmer’s Market:
Spring brings fresh produce
Story by Crystal Vandegrift
Spring is just around the corner, and with the change in seasons comes the opening of the Farmer's Market in downtown Farmville. The Farmville Community Marketplace will open for business Saturday, April 30, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
The spring opening of local farmers' markets is a welcome return to normalcy for farmers and consumers alike.
Each year during the market season, Saturday mornings have residents eager to shop local.
The produce pickings are plentiful.
You can find a wide variety of products, including vegetables, fruits, meat, eggs, cheese, baked goods, and more.
You can talk with and purchase from many local producers in the same market visit, supporting a number of farms and local businesses.
According to Virginia Cooperative Extension, if each household in Prince Edward spent just $10 per week of their total food budget on local food and farm products, it would generate an economic impact of $4,256,720 annually in the county.
Story by Crystal Vandegrift
There are a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables available at the Farmer’s Market in Farmville.
Building a thriving local food system often begins at the farmer's market.
They have quickly become the go-to spot for finding a wide variety of locally-grown foods and farm products.
According to the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the number of farmer's markets in Virginia has grown from 88 in 2006 to nearly 280 in 2021. "The number of farmers' markets and roadside stands in Virginia has grown dramatically in recent years, mostly in response to consumer demand for fresh, locally-grown agricultural products and the desire for people to connect with where their food comes from," said Kim Hutchinson, Executive Director, Virginia Farmers Market Association. "In addition to fresh produce and other agricultural products, farmers' markets have become a central site for community engagement through entertainment, festivals, antique shows, plant sales, and other events."
Farmer's Markets provide much more than just fresh produce. • Farmer's markets increase access to fresh, nutritious food when located in food deserts and by accepting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. • As a place where farmers and neighbors come together to educate each other about nutrition, cooking, and farming, farmers' markets provide communities with a healthy food environment. • Farmer's markets promote sustainability by creating new business opportunities for farmers interested in selling sustainably produced foods.
If you are planning to visit the Farmer's Market this spring, here are some shopping tips:
Arrive early for the best selection.
Do a "lap" of the market to see what's available before you buy.
Bring your own bag.
Bring small bills or check our directory to see if your market accepts debit, credit & EBT cards.
Buy in bulk and in season for the best deals.
Try something new and ask questions.
