Mayapple
Podophyllum peltatum
Also listed as Anapodophyllum peltatum, Podophyllum callicarpum
Also known as American Mandrake, Indian-apple, Wild Mandrake
Climate Match for your location
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A native woodland perennial with distinctive umbrella-like leaves and nodding white to pink flowers followed by lemon-shaped fruit. It spreads via rhizomes to form colonies and typically dies back completely by mid-summer.
Why grow it
Mayapple offers reliable early-season interest in shaded woodlands where many perennials struggle, with its distinctive peltate foliage providing texture before most spring ephemerals emerge. Compared to other native woodland groundcovers, it establishes a dense colony relatively quickly through rhizomatous spread, reducing management needs. The edible fruit (when ripe) and traditional ethnobotanical uses distinguish it from purely ornamental shade plants, though fruit production varies with growing conditions.
Watch out for
Mayapple prefers consistently moist but well-draining soils and may languish in dry shade or compacted clay. Its rapid rhizomatous spread can outcompete smaller woodland plants in confined spaces, so consider companion plantings carefully. The plant's complete dormancy by mid-summer means it will leave gaps in the understory planting scheme during late summer and fall months.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Berberidaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Eastern North America
Native to: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Ground cover
Low spreading plants that carpet the soil.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
A native woodland perennial with distinctive umbrella-like leaves and nodding white to pink flowers followed by lemon-shaped fruit. It spreads via rhizomes to form colonies and typically dies back completely by mid-summer.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Mayapple grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Mayapple offers reliable early-season interest in shaded woodlands where many perennials struggle, with its distinctive peltate foliage providing texture before most spring ephemerals emerge. Compared to other native woodland groundcovers, it establishes a dense colony relatively quickly through rhizomatous spread, reducing management needs. The edible fruit (when ripe) and traditional ethnobotanical uses distinguish it from purely ornamental shade plants, though fruit production varies with growing conditions.
Watch out for
Mayapple prefers consistently moist but well-draining soils and may languish in dry shade or compacted clay. Its rapid rhizomatous spread can outcompete smaller woodland plants in confined spaces, so consider companion plantings carefully. The plant's complete dormancy by mid-summer means it will leave gaps in the understory planting scheme during late summer and fall months.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Berberidaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Eastern North America
Native to: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Ground cover
Low spreading plants that carpet the soil.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
Similar ground covers you might consider:
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