Plant of the Month

May’s Plant of the Month

LATIN NAME: Podophyllum sp

COMMON NAME: Mayapple

FAMILY: Berberidaceae

TYPE: Herbaceous perennial

ORIGIN: Afghanistan to China; Southeast Canada to the Central and Eastern US

LOCATION AT BLOEDEL RESERVE: Arrival Garden and Rhododendron Glen

GARDEN USES: Woodland Garden

FUN FACT:

Not an apple at all, and not always blooming right on schedule in May, this herbaceous perennial begins to emerge in early spring. Around the gardens, we have several species unfurling quickly, stretching tall and wide with an impressive variety of umbrella-like leaves. The genus name comes from the Greek podos (foot) and phyllon (leaf), a nod to the distinctive shape of its foliage.

Photo credit: Sean Peterson