THANKS

[Susan Cox]

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Hello Brian Willians,

May I make a suggestion on how you might try growing Skunk Cabbage?  =It's a theory that I haven't actually tried yet, but one that I think =would be successful and would be worth a try.  The method is one that =Julius Boos uses in growing Lasia spinosa and would transfer over to =skunk cabbage I think very well.  Before you start, find a very large =pot for skunk cabbage.  They grow deep and like room.  Fill your pot up =to about 1/2 to 2/3 with 1/2" lava rock or something similar according =to your resources there.  Fill the rest with a well draining soil with =added sand and a bit of 1/2" lava rock mixed in.  Julius has a more =precise mixture for this that I have forgotten AGAIN.  I don't think =they are picky, but I do believe they like it on the acid side.  Plant =the plants.  Set the whole pot in another pot without drain holes in the =bottom, and fill it with water almost to or touching the soil layer in =the planted pot.  Keep this water fresh.  When you water the planted =pot, take it out of the second pot and run water through, then set it =back in the second pot after dumping and refilling it.  This keeps the =soil fresh as well.  If the upper layer of soil drys out a bit, it's not =critical because their roots will be happily growing in the rocky water =layer.  You can feed the plants by putting fertilizer in the water pot =as well as by running fertilized water through the potted plant pot.  =Either way, or both.  

My theory on this is that skunk cabbage likes somewhat fresh water just =under it's root system throughout the drier months.  Winter and Spring, =they can actually be submurged in water by a swollen stream.  In summer, =the water can recede until the ground around the cabbage looks dry, but =not too far away from the root system is water.  I'm not methodical nor =scientific about anything I learn or try, but in spite of my vagueness =on all of this, I think you will find something that works in this =method.  If you decide to try it, I would like to hear your results.  I =gathered some Lysichiton americanum seeds this summer, but I let them =all dry out.  I tried germinating some, but they didn't germinate.  I'm =not sure if this was because I dried them out first or not.  If I =thought the seeds were any good I would send you some.  If anyone on =this list knows anything about skunk cabbage seeds and how to treat them =after collecting we might find out if they are any good yet.  The first =time I tried planting the seed, I planted them right away via Deno =method and every one of them germinated.  Unfortunately, the plants have =now lost their seed to the ground.  I do have a tuber of Symplocarpus =feotidus if you are interested and might have one of L. americanum. 

Anyway, give this a try and I hope it helps!
Susan Cox  
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