May-apple

(Podophyllum peltatum)

Conservation Status
May-apple
 
  IUCN Red List

not listed

     
  NatureServe

N5 - Secure

SNR - Unranked

     
  Minnesota

not listed

     
           
Wetland Indicator Status
     
  Great Plains

FACU - Facultative upland

     
  Midwest

FACU - Facultative upland

     
  Northcentral & Northeast

FACU - Facultative upland

     
           
 
Description
 
 

May-apple is a 12 to 24 tall, erect, perennial forb that rises on a single stem from a short or elongated rhizome. The rhizome elongates in distinct, 2 to 8 long annual increments. It produces 1 leaf or flowering stalk per year. The plant is often found in large colonies. This is a spring ephemeral, with all above-ground parts disappearing by mid-summer.

The stems, when present, are erect, hairless or sparsely hairy, 12 to 23½ tall, and unbranched.

Leaves of non-flowering plants are solitary, basal, rising from the ground on a stout, erect, stem-like leaf stalk that attaches to the lower surface of the leaf at the center of the blade. The blade is 7 to 15 in diameter and more or less round.

Flowering plants have 2 alternate, nearly opposite leaves on 2 to 6 long leaf stalks rising from the top of the stem. The leaf stalks attach to the lower surface of the leaves near the margins. The blades are 2 to 14 long, 4 to 15¾ wide, slightly unequal in size, and half round to kidney-shaped.

Both types of leaves are deeply divided into 5 to 7, sometimes 9, lobes. The lobes are frequently divided near the tip into 2 secondary lobes, though they may have no secondary lobes. The margins may be coarsely toothed or untoothed. The upper surface is hairless. The lower surface is hairless or sparsely hairy.

The inflorescence is a solitary flower at the end of the stem of flowering plants. It droops downward on a short, nodding, flower stalk that rises from the top of the stem at the angle between the two leaves.

The flowers are to 2 in diameter. There are 6 white or pale green sepals that drop off early, and 6 to 9 white, rarely pink (fo. deamii), inversely egg-shaped petals. The number of stamens is double the number of petals. The flowers are fragrant.

The fruit is a yellow, rarely orange or maroon, egg-shaped berry with 30 to 50 seeds.

 
     
 

Height

 
 

12 to 24

 
     
 

Flower Color

 
 

White or pale green

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
     
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Moist. Mixed deciduous forest, road banks, river banks. Partial sun.

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Flowering

 
 

May to June

 
     
 

Pests and Diseases

 
 

 

 
     
 
Use
 
 

 

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 28, 29, 30.

 
  5/12/2023      
         
 

Nativity

 
 

Native

 
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

 

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
  Kingdom Plantae (green algae and land plants)  
  Subkingdom Viridiplantae (green plants)  
  Infrakingdom Streptophyta (land plants and green algae)  
  Superdivision Embryophyta (land plants)  
  Division Tracheophyta (vascular plants)  
  Subdivision Spermatophytina (seed plants)  
  Class Magnoliopsida (flowering plants)  
  Superorder Ranunculanae  
 

Order

Ranunculales (buttercups, poppies, and allies)  
 

Family

Berberidaceae (barberry)  
  Subfamily Berberidoideae  
  Tribe Berberideae  
  Subtribe Epimediinae  
 

Genus

Podophyllum (Mayapples)  
 

Section

Podophyllum  
       
 

Subordinate Taxa

 
 

 

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

 

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

American mandrake

Indian-apple

mandrake

May apple

May-apple

Mayapple

raccoon-berry

wild jalap

wild lemon

wild mandrake

wild-mandrake

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Rhizome

A horizontal, usually underground stem. It serves as a reproductive structure, producing roots below and shoots above at the nodes.

 

Spring ephemeral

Early blooming, short-lived wildflower that emerges in early spring and disappears by early summer. They develop above-ground parts in March or April, quickly flower and go to seed, then die back to their underground parts by May or June.

 
 
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

Colony

 
    May-apple      
           
 

First week

 
    May-apple      
           
 

Plants

 
    May-apple   May-apple  
           
    May-apple      
           
 

Flower

 
    May-apple   May-apple  

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
  Mayapple
DianesDigitals
 
  Mayapple  
 
About

Copyright DianesDigitals

 
  Podophyllum peltatum
Blanca Triginer
 
   
 
About

Published on May 12, 2013

http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Podophyllum+peltatum

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?29138

 

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

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Other Videos
 
  Mayapple [Podophyllum peltatum]
BlackOwlOutdoors
 
   
 
About

Published on Jun 11, 2013

Krik of Black Owl Outdoors ID's the Mayapple. Known by various common names such as: hogapple, Indian apple, mayflower, umbrella plant, the Mayapple Podophyllum peltatum, is used for it's medicinal qualities. While the mayapple is not edible, doing so will result in a violent expulsion of fluids from the body, it has been proven to inhibit cell growth in the field of cancer research.

   
  Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum)
wvoutdoorman
 
   
 
About

Published on May 11, 2012

Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum)

   
  Mayapple with flowers in first week of May, Podophyllum peltatum, or May Apple
qhumvee
 
   
 
About

Published on May 10, 2013

Podophyllum peltatum, commonly called Mayapple, or May Apple

Very beautiful ground cover.

Poisonous though.

   
  Mayapple, with berries of cherry size, first week of June
qhumvee
 
   
 
About

Published on Jun 6, 2013

Poisonous plant.

   

 

Camcorder

 
 
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  Paul Richert
10/2/2018

Location: 12255 205th St N, Marine on St. Croix, MN

present last 3 seasons.

   
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
   

 

 

Binoculars


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