Photo of Podophyllum peltatum

Podophyllum peltatum

Mayapple

register or login to use the plant listPlease register or login to build your personal plant list.

This unique perennial has only two leaves and one flower, that blooms in late spring.

See Details Below

Description:

This unique perennial has only two leaves and one flower. The leaves unfurl once the stem pushes out of the ground and reaches its maximum height of about 1 foot. Hidden under the canopy of the broad leaves, the single white showy flower blooms in May, followed by the swelling and summer ripening of a relatively large fruit – the “Mayapple”. This plant lives in shady, damp woods and forms colonies through rhizomes under the humus-rich soil. By summer’s end, the leaves senesce and the plant goes dormant. Mayapple is a unique addition to a woodland garden.

Wildlife Value: Long-tongued bees visit the blooming flowers. The fruit is prized by woodland mammals including raccoons, opossums, skunks, squirrels and mice, as well as Eastern Box Turtles.

Plant Details:

Plant Type: Flower, Perennial, Groundcover

New Jersey Native: Yes

Bloom Times: Spring

Bloom Colors: White

Deer Resistance: Some

Attracts Pollinators and Wildlife: Bees and Other Pollinators

Salt Tolerance: Unknown

Hardiness Zone: 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b

Physiographic Region: All Regions in NJ

Soil Characteristics

Soil Type: Loam, Organic, Sandy

Soil Moisture: Dry, Moist, Wet

Soil pH: Acidic, Slightly Acidic, Neutral

Light Needs of Plant

Optimal Light: Shade

Light Range: Partial Shade, Shade

Water Needs of Plant

Soil Moisture: Dry, Moist, Wet

Drought Tolerance: Low

Size and Growth Rate

Height: 1 - 1.5 ft

Spread: .75 - 1 ft

Growth Rate: Medium-fast