May-Apple (Podophyllum peltatum)
[poe-doe-FY-lum pel-TAY-tum]

Deciduous Perennial Upright, Colony-Forming in the Berberidaceae Family
Note: Spring ephemerals have evolved take advantage of sunlight which penetrates deciduous forests before the trees fully leaf out and then shut down for the year by the end of spring to rest until the next year. When buying them in summer you typically won't see anything above the ground until the next April!

A colony-forming Illinois native with umbrella-like leaves and a hidden spring flower.

Mayapple is a distinctive woodland perennial native to Illinois and much of eastern North America, recognized by its large, umbrella-like, deeply lobed leaves. Plants with a single leaf never flower; only plants with two leaves produce a single, nodding white flower in the fork between them each spring, usually hidden from view beneath the foliage. Mayapple spreads by rhizomes to form dense colonies and goes fully dormant by midsummer. A green, berry-like fruit ripens to yellow by late summer; while the ripe fruit is edible in small amounts, every other part of the plant -- including the unripe fruit, leaves, and roots -- is poisonous.

Pros

  • Illinois native woodland perennial
  • Naturalizes readily into attractive colonies
  • Deer and rabbit resistant

Cons

  • All parts except the ripe fruit are poisonous if ingested; handling leaves or roots can irritate skin
  • Foliage disappears by midsummer, leaving a gap in the planting
  • Not suited to borders since plants go dormant and vanish
Why Like

A true Illinois native, Mayapple is one of the most recognizable spring woodland wildflowers, forming dense colonies under deciduous trees before most other plants have leafed out. Its flowers provide early-season pollen and nectar for bumblebees and other long-tongued bees, and its ripe fruit is eaten by box turtles and small mammals.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 12 - 18 inches tall. 12 - 18 inches wide.
Sun Exposure Full Shade - Full Shade
Moisture Tolerance Medium - Wet
Zones 3a - 8b (Usually hardy to -40° F)
Tags Attracts Bees, Attracts Pollinators, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Full Shade, Illinois Native, Medium, Native to North America, Perennial, Potentially Toxic, Rabbit Resistant, Shade Tolerant, Spring Ephemeral, Wet, Woodland Garden
Bloom Period April - May
Flower Color White
Animals That Use It

Fruit:
 

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More Info from Experts
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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 04/03 - 10/04
2024 : 05/01 - 07/20
2023 : 05/04 - 09/30


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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!