# mayapple (*Podophyllum peltatum*) Mayapple is a fun plant that grows in shady forests. It has big, umbrella-like leaves and produces a yellow fruit that looks like a little apple. But be careful, not all parts of the plant are safe to eat! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 156 - **Habitat:** Forests - **Also known as:** American Mandrake, Wild Mandrake ![mayapple](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Podophyllum_peltatum.jpg&width=800) Photo: Jennifer Anderson, USDA, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Podophyllum_peltatum.jpg) ## Appearance The mayapple has large, deeply lobed leaves that often look like tiny green umbrellas, usually two per flowering stem. A single white or pale yellow flower is tucked underneath these distinctive leaves, later developing into a small, lemon-yellow fruit. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Ranunculales - **Family:** Berberidaceae - **Genus:** Podophyllum ## Interesting facts - Indigenous peoples traditionally used mayapple for various medicinal purposes, especially its roots. - Its name comes from the apple-like fruit that ripens in late spring or early summer! - Mayapple leaves emerge rolled up like tiny cigars before unfurling into their signature umbrella shape. - Though most parts are toxic, some animals like box turtles safely enjoy the ripe, yellow fruits. ## Special abilities - **Umbrella Shield:** Mayapple has broad, umbrella-like leaves that shelter its flower and developing fruit from rain and direct sunlight. - **Underground Network:** Mayapple can spread quickly using strong underground stems called rhizomes, forming large colonies across the forest floor. - **Toxic Defense:** Most parts of the mayapple plant are highly toxic, helping it to deter hungry herbivores from eating its leaves and roots. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-45 cm - **Spread:** 30-45 cm - **Flower Size:** 3-5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** High - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Common eastern bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — Helps fertilize the hidden flowers of mayapple. - **Eats:** [Eastern box turtle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-box-turtle) (*Terrapene carolina*) — Enjoys consuming the ripe, yellow mayapple fruits. - **Eats:** [Eastern gray squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-gray-squirrel) (*Sciurus carolinensis*) — May also eat the ripe, fallen fruits from the plant. ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Broadleaf Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/broadleaf-tree): Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Do not eat any part of the plant except the ripe fruit, and always ask an adult before trying new foods. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify mayapple? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is mayapple? 30-45 cm ### How wide does mayapple spread? 30-45 cm ### How big are the flowers on mayapple? 3-5 cm ### When does mayapple bloom? Spring ### Is mayapple edible? Yes ### Is mayapple toxic? High ### What is mayapple's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Abbott Farm Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/abbott-farm-historic-district) — New Jersey, US · Historic District - [Bartholomew's Cobble](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bartholomews-cobble) — Massachusetts, US · Nature Reserve - [Belltown Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/belltown-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District - [Bixby State Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bixby-state-preserve) — Iowa, US · Nature Reserve - [Blackbird State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/blackbird-state-forest) — Delaware, US · Forest - [Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/blackhand-gorge-state-nature-preserve) — Ohio, US · Nature Reserve [View all places to see mayapple](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/mayapple) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Mayapple: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mayapple)