水芭蕉 / Skunk cabbage

水芭蕉是春天的花種代表之一。從西伯利亞東部開始，在亞洲涼爽的氣候地區的濕地自由生長。在日本並非只在北海道，在東日本的涼爽的濕地也有生長。發芽後立即在葉子之間生長出純白色的花朵。北海道的水芭蕉開花期間，低地是在5月，高地則是在融雪後的5月到7月之間。如果想近距離拍攝花朵時，有長統靴會很方便。

Skunk cabbage (Mizu Basho in Japanese) is one of the popular flowers heralding the coming of spring in Hokkaido. Their flowers are white and they bloom between green leaves. They grow in wild wet places, like riversides or marshes, in cool climates in Asia, such as Siberia or Hokkaido. In Hokkaido, they are mainly seen in May but they can be sighted even in June or July at higher attitudes. In parks there is a usually a wooden walk-board which allows visitors to observe from above. With a good pair of long boots however, one can explore and see them in natural settings.