Mayapple

Member of Barberry Family

Blooms: March - April

Mayapples begin to pop up in mid March and grow in large colonies. They like sandy loamy soil and partial shade. They look like little umbrellas. They usually grow about 12" tall. The blooms are about 3" and very delicate. Click for closer look.

All parts of the Mayapple are poisonous if ingested to excess, except the pulp of the lemonlike fruit, which is edible when ripe. The plant contains "podophyllin", a bitter resin which, if used properly, acts as a purgative, although an overdose may prove fatal. The roots were occasionally used medicinally by Indians and early settlers. Old timers say that you know there will be no more frost when the Mayapples are up.