Facts Of The Mayapple

>The Habitat
The habitat for the Mayapple is in rich deciduous woodlands, meadows, and moist shaded road banks.

>About the Mayapple
The Mayapple grows up to 20 inches high from a large horizontal rootstock. A solitary saucer shaped leaf grows on a short stout. It has a smell that some people say is unpleasant. Others say it is too sweet.

>Name

The scientific name is podophyllum peltatamthe. The Mayapple is from North America, China and the Himalayas. It is classified under the barberidaceae (barberry).

>Identification
The Mayapple is a perennial herb. It grows to 50cm. (20 in.) tall. It is frequently found in large dense patches with creeping underground stems and thick fibrous roots. When it is a first year plant, it has one leaf. When it is a second year plant, it has two.

>Medical uses
It can help some forms of cancer, snake bites, warts, urinary problems, bowel, and skin disorders. Farmers use it to help with potato plants. Doctors use it to help with diarrhea. The resin it has is podophyllinnis, which is used in a strong laxative.

THE MAYAPPLE

THE MAYAPPLE (MAY APPLE, MAY-APPLE), PODOPHYLLUM PELTATUM COMES FROM THE BARBERRY FAMILY. IT HAS MANY COMMON NAMES INCLUDING: DEVIL'S APPLE, INDIAN APPLE, AND WILD LEMON. THE MAYAPPLE GROWS IN COLONIES IN DECIDUOUS FORESTS AND IN FIELDS AND PASTURES. IT HAS LARGE UMBRELLA -SHAPED LEAVES THE MAYAPPLE BLOOMS IN MAY. IT HAS A SINGLE SAUCER-SHAPED WHITE FLOWER ON A SHORT STOUT STALK WHICH ARISES FROM THE BASE OF THE STEM. IT HAS SIX TO NINE WAXY WHITE PETALS THAT FORM A FLOWER THAT MAY MEASURE UP TO TWO INCHES ACROSS. THE FRUIT LOOKS LIKE A LARGE BERRY (UP TO TWO INCHES LONG) AND IS A GREENISH YELLOW WHEN IT IS RIPE. THE ROOTSTOCKS, FOLIAGE, AND GREEN FRUITS, ARE ALL POISONOUS TO SOME DEGREE. THE RIPE FRUIT IS EATABLE. PIONEERS USED IT TO MAKE PRESERVES AND AS A CURE FOR SUMMER DIARRHEA IN CHILDREN. THE POTAWATOMI AND MESKWAKI TRIBES USED IT TO TREAT SNAKE BITES AS WELL AS USING IT AS PART OF THE CURE FOR URINARY, LIVER, BOWEL AND SKIN DISORDERS - INCLUDING WARTS. MENOMINI INDIANS USED THE MAYAPPLE AS AN INSECTICIDE. THEY BOILED THE ENTIRE PLANT AND SPLASHED THE LIQUID OVER THEIR POTATO PLANTS TO CONTROL INSECTS. MODERN MEDICINE IS STILL INVESTIGATING THE MAYAPPLE. IT CONTAINS A RESIN THAT MAY HAVE ANTI-TUMOR PROPERTIES USEFUL IN TREATING SOME FORMS OF CANCER. THE ROOT, LEAVES, AND ALL THE GREEN PARTS ARE POISONOUS. YOU CAN ONLY EAT THE FRUIT OF THE MAYAPPLE WHEN IT IS YELLOW OTHERWISE IT COULD CAUSE SERIOUS STOMACH PAIN.