How To Identify Mayapple - Wild Edible Identification

Hey guys in this video we learn how to identify the Mayapple in the spring when it has it's flowers. The Mayapple is a popular wild edible for making jams and jellies with the small delicate fruits. Most may not know how to identify it properly. Mayapples frequently grow with other edible plants and even have a reputation for hiding Morel mushrooms. The Mayapple is a distinct looking wild edible that has large umbrella like leaves with several lobes that run almost to the top of the stem. It's unique in a couple ways; one being that a plant can have on or two stems and the plants with two stems will produce a flower if conditions are right. Another unique thing about the Mayapple is that only the inner flesh of the fully ripe fruit is edible, the rest of the plant is toxic. The fruits come after the flower and are bright green and firm until they ripen when they turn a golden yellow and turn soft. We can see the flowers producing young fruits if we look carefully at the right time of year inside the flower.

The hanging nature of the very large leaves has gained this plant a reputation for hiding delicacies like Morels and other plants as the leaves can become as large as a dinner plate. Underneath the leaves in the node of the "Y" section of the stem we will find a white flower with 4-7 petals that are somewhat layered. Not every plant will produce a flower, or fruit but finding ones with small fruits is a good way to secure a harvest later. The raccoons and mice really love these little fruits so they can be hard to come by. Other uses for this wild edible are for medicine, and is currently used in treatments for certain cancers. However this is not recommended for those who do not have expertise in this plant as it can be fatal. Thankfully for a wild edible the inner flesh of the fully ripe fruit is wholly safe!

I thank you guys for watching this video I hope you enjoyed it and I hope you learned something. If you want to learn more about edible or medicinal plants make sure to subscribe!

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[NoHobbes]

Why on earth would any 2 people dislike this fantastically informative video???? Thank you for posting it!

[garland]

Just one more plant nature has provided to treat cancer. Thank you Josh.

[Humble-Daniel]

Beautiful plant, I've always wanted to find one of these after the first time I learned about it. I've heard that the fruits are so hard to collect because squirrels, chipmunks, and other animals harvest them quickly when they become ripe. I've heard they are very delicious fruits. This video made me very excited! Thanks a lot for sharing this!

[sherjack]

First time I see this plant. Thank you! 👍☺

[brendaweaver]

Really nice video on Mayapples Josh. The animals love those things so you gotta get them before they do when they ripen lol. I havent figured out what to do with them yet.

[MaidMirawyn]

What a cool, fascinating plant. Thanks for covering it! It's fall now, so maybe I'll go hunting.

Also, loved the frog! Thanks for giving him a cameo. :)

[gooutside]

Nice video, do ya know if it grows in south central Texas ?

[sarahhoward]

It'll give you some hella shits if you eat any of that. Even the ripe fruit. Unless its cooked. Just so you know. This plant is purely medicinal. Not edible unless steamed or cooked. Happy foraging!           Love,                                                   Bo - Certified Eclectic Herbalist

[anonymousanonymous]

What time of the year or after blooming does the fruit tend to come in ripe?

[aleisterbroley]

Idk why but something about the appearance of that plant just makes me sick. Looks like some kind of Martian mutation. Since finding out that they're so very toxic, I avoid them even more, but honestly they've always been repellent to me for whatever reason.