Common Names
Common mayapple, devil’s apple, duck’s foot, ground lemon, hog apple, Indian apple, mandrake, mayapple, podophyllum, racoonberry, umbrella plant, vegetable calomel, vegetable mercury, wild jalap, wild lemon, wild mandrake, yellowberry.
Description
An erect perennial that grows to about 1 to 11/2 feet in height. Two umbrella-like, palmately lobed leaves grow at the top of each plant, rarely 3. The plant produces a white flower in fork of leaves, and ovate yellow fruit.
Habitat
Deciduous forest in mountain areas, rich woods, thickets, and pastures; prefers shade.
Lore
The fruit is edible when ripe but all other parts of the plant are toxic. The Native Americans may have used a powdered root preparation as an insecticide on their crops and soaked seeds in a decoction to protect them from pests.
WARNING
All parts of the plant except the ripe fruit are extremely toxic. The root, which is easily powdered, is a powerful eye irritant.
Medical Uses
Although too poisonous to use in home remedies this plant has many medical uses. Native Americans used the root as a strong laxative, to treat worms and for numerous other things. The root is currently used in cancer medications and may have commercial potential as a cultivated plant. There are accounts of the Indians use of the root to commit suicide with death occurring in just hours. The size of the lethal dose is unclear.
Mayapple grows all over West Virginia’s mountains. It is one of the first plants to make an appearance in the Spring. There was a time when Mayapple was a form of revenue for some West Virginians. Like Ginseng, Mayapple can be harvested and the root sold.
