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[title size=”2″]May Apple[/title]

The may apple is also known as mayflower, Indian apple, wild mandrake, Devil’s apple. There are two parts to this plant’s name: “may” and “apple.” Nonetheless, it is only the flower that blooms in May; the small, yellowish-green fruit that the plant produces does not ripen until late summer. This pretty plant with umbrella-like leaves is deceptively dangerous. The May apple plant has striking green leaves that are short and lobed, functioning like an umbrella to protect its blossoming white flower underneath. May apples have strong, smooth green stems that can reach a height of two feet. The flowers bloom white with six to nine petals and yellow stamens. It is a wild plant whose natural habitat spans across most of North America. In the Ozark region, the plants begin to bloom in early April and continue to do so until early May. If they are thriving in a temperate hardwood forest with the right growth conditions, May apples will bloom in colonies and can be seen across the forest floor. Nonetheless, behind the beautiful exterior is a potentially toxic root that should only be handled by experts. Except for the fruit, the entire plant is extremely poisonous in large doses. The root, seeds and rind are purported to be poisonous and therefore not edible. Despite its suggested toxic effects, they seem not to have the same effect on animals since many of them love to eat the fruit, especially deer and box turtles.

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Podophyllum peltatum

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