Podophyllum peltatum
Botanical Name
Podophyllum peltatum
Hardiness
Zones 4 to 8
Height
12 to 18 inches
Width
12 inches
Flowers
Early to mid spring: white, hidden by leaves
Fruit
Green (unripe - poisonous), gold (ripe - edible)
Light
Part to full shade
Soil
Moist, well-drained, rich organic
Planting and Care
Where happy, mayapple will spread by seed and rhizomes to form large colonies. Foliage goes dormant in summer. Divide in late summer or spring. Fruit is edible when golden ripe; unripe fruit, stem, leaves, flowers and rhizome are poisonous and contain the compound Podophyllotoxin.
Problems
None serious - most parts of plants are toxic when ingested (see Planting and Care)