Mayapple – Podophyllum peltatum

  • Mayapple. [Date Accessed: July 15, 2008].

 

Nomenclature:

  • Podophyllum peltatum
  • Family: Barberry (Berberidaceae)

 

Botany and Ecology:

  • Habitat: woods, rich cove forests and mesic hardwood forests
  • Mostly found at low elevations
  • Height: 12-18 inches
  • Flower size: 2 inches across
  • Flower color: white
  • Flowering time: April to June
  • Distribution:
    • United States: AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WI, WV
    • Canada: NS, ON, QC

 

Uses:

  • Edible:

o       Fruit can be eaten raw or cooked and used for jams, jellies, and pies, etc.

o       The unripe fruit is a strong laxative and consuming an excess amount of fruit can cause colic

o       Ripe fruit is edible but all other parts of the plant including unripe fruit are poisonous

·        Medicinal:

o       Root has been proposed as a possible treatment of cancer but alopecia is a common side effect

o       Resin obtained from the root is used to treat warts and small-cell carcinomas

o       Large does of the root are lethal

·        Other:

    • Insecticide

 

Conservation:

 

Markets and Vendors:

 

Sources: