The Mayapple is an interesting little plant. In early spring the little umbrella like plants begin to pop and blanket the forest floor, but by the end of May when the weather starts to warm up they are gone.
The Mayapple is a perennial plant which blooms in May and has a golf ball sized fruit. The unripe green fruit is toxic, but the yellow fruit can be eaten in small amounts. The plant itself is poisonous. The Mayapple contains podophyllotoxin which is highly toxic and will produce nausea and vomiting as well as inflammation of the stomach and intestines. The resin from the root of the Mayapple can be used as a topical medicine to treat warts.
Maybe if I had a wart I might use the Mayapple root, but I cannot say that I am tempted to eat a Mayapple. However, there are recipes for Mayapple jelly. Notice the amount of sugar and how would you find a half a gallon of Mayapples?
8 cups ripe Mayapples
1 cup water
1 box Sure-jell
5 cups sugar
The Mayapple will soon turn yellow and be edible. They produce the fruit very quickly and then they are gone until next year. You need to diligently watching for them because the deer will usually get them first before you can.
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