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| May-Apple (Podophyllum peltatum) Flower
1-2 in., plant 12-18 in., Barberry family
Open woods and clearings where sunlight slips through will be carpeted
with the umbrellas of May-Apples from late march to late May. Their
big handsome leaves are deeply sectioned like spokes of an umbrella. Some
have a single leaf, but only those with two leaves bear flowers, which
mature into "apples."
The droopy flowers, one to a plant, are white and waxy, with 6-9 petals.
They are pretty but unpleasant to smell. Although they have no nectar,
bumblebees collect their pollen and cross-fertilize them. May-Apple flowers
are shy. To see them, you may have to peek under their leaves.
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| When the fruits ripen, they can be used to make jelly or a drink with
lemonade. They are full of seeds, but taste lemony. Chemicals in May-Apple
plants are being used experimentally to treat some kinds of cancer. Native
Americans used them for various medical conditions and as an insecticide.
While the "apples" are edible, the rest of the plant, especially the root,
is POISONOUS. |
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