Tag: Podophyllum peltatum

Only the ripe, golden-yellow fruit of the mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum) is edible, while all other parts of the plant, including the unripe green fruit, are highly toxic. Understanding this crucial distinction is the first step toward safe foraging and enjoying this wild treat.

According to botanists at Cornell Botanic Gardens, while the fully ripe fruit of the mayapple is edible, the rest of the plant, including unripe fruit, leaves, and roots, is highly poisonous. Understanding the specific benefits of mayapple fruit requires distinguishing it from the plant's potent, and toxic, medicinal compounds found in its rhizome.

The mayapple plant contains a potent toxin called podophyllotoxin, which is also used to create life-saving chemotherapy drugs. This startling fact highlights the duality of this plant and begs the question: are mayapples good for you, or are they a dangerous woodland inhabitant?