The Dawes Arboretum

Common name: may-apple, American-mandrake

Family: Berberidaceae (barberry family)

Distribution: e. North America

Habitat: Mixed deciduous forest, fields, moist road banks, river banks; 50-800 m

Hardiness: USDA Zone 3

Life form: Herbaceous perennial

Comments: May-apple is usually found in woodlands, savannas, or on the edges of hillside seeps. Plants will have one or two umbrella-like leaves growing on a single stem and reaching up to 1-1.5 feet tall. Two-leaved plants will typically produce a single white flower that blooms in April. The flower emerges from the crotch, or leaf axil, of the two leaves and is often hidden beneath the leaves because it nods downward. Plants with only one leaf will generally not produce a flower at all. The common name, may-apple, refers to the fleshy green fruits that ripen to a golden yellow color and can be used for preserves or jellies. Bumblebees and other long-tongued bees are frequent pollinators of this plant, while animals aid in seed dispersal.