American Skunk cabbage

I have found this American skunk cabbage in a small burn that runs across the local golf course. I first saw it last year but now it seems to have a significant hold. The water course traces back to the rear of an estate just on the western outskirts of Nairn where I suspect someone has had it as a ornamental plant in a pond and bog garden. Any gardeners who have this plant should keep an eye on it and not to let it get into any nearby watercourses.

American Skunk Cabbage is an invasive plant which can all too easily get into the wider countryside where it becomes an invasive pest. Unfortunately, it has reached the RSPB reserve at Insh Marshes, here in the Highlands where there is a danger of it getting out of hand and out-competing our native species. A team of volunteers at Insh Marshes have been working hard to eradicate it from the reserve but it's a big job as they have to be careful to remove all the roots.

Skunk Cabbage is a close relative of the familiar Arum Lily, which is native to Britain and a member of the same family, the Araceae. Skunk Cabbage originates from north-east Asia and western North America, where it grows in waterlogged areas alongside rivers and lakes, and produces a strong scent that is very attractive to pollinating insects. The species outcompetes native wetland plants like Yellow Flag and several reed and sedge species, and is already established at many sites across the UK