I want to domesticate Mayapples (
Podophyllum spp.), Among the few best Super Cold Hardy Plants (Zone 3 Limit) that produce Edible Fruits with Tropical Flavors (Pineapple x Passionfruit). I don’t want mayapples to be a Forager exclusive, I want everyone to enjoy them too!
Just look at that diversity! Landrace Crop potential! 
HOW TO EATWe must exercise caution because Mayapples (Podophyllum spp.) are very toxic plants, the only part that’s edible is the ripe fruit. Unripe fruits are toxic (Just like with Tomatoes, Black Nightshades & many other fruits) so no need to fear them. Simply rip open a ripe fruit, suck out the pulp, spit out the seeds & discard the skin. The seeds are not edible but should pass right thru if swallowed by accidentally (Key thing is to not crush the seeds, they taste horrible if you do). Breeding a Seedless mayapple may be a worthy goal if a Parthenocarpic form shows up.
Here’s what unripe Mayapples look like (Green, Firm & Taste Nasty). These unripe Fruits can be picked green (At just the first sign of whitening) to ripen off vine just like with Tomatoes, thus ensuring yield by beating the animals to it. This is how I ate ~40 Mayapple fruits when most foragers are lucky to even get 1, all I had to do was wait till they turn yellow at home.
PHYLOGENIC TREESHere’s 2 Phylogenic Trees on Podophyllum Relationships (*Note Dysosma & Diphylleia are now Podophyllum species, there’s a good chance all are crossable with Mayapples).
SPECIES/VARIETIESBelow are all the Mayapple species worth exploring, I suspect all are cross-compatible (Especially with the aid of Mentor Pollination).
Yellow American Mayapple (
Podophyllum peltatum)
The typical variety, these have a Pineapple x Sweet Tropical Passionfruit Flavor. Truly incredible for such a cold hardy species (USDA Hardiness Zone 3-9).
Many-Fruited American Mayapple (
Podophyllum peltatum f. polycarpum)
An uncommon Multi-Fruited form of Mayapples. Normally each 2-leafed plant only produces 1 fruit, but this form can produce 4-6 fruits per plant. Sometimes this form simply makes 1 Huge Mayapple fruit, (Such Incredible Genetics, someone Needs to save these seeds).
Red American Mayapple (
Podophyllum peltatum f. deamii)
A rare form of Mayapple with Pink Flowers & Red Fruit with Red flesh & Maroon Seeds. From all the research I’ve done, Nobody seems to have even tried it to describe it’s flavor.
Orange American Mayapple (
Podophyllum peltatum f. biltmoreanum)
A Super Rare Form, Fruit with a rich apricot to mango-orange skin & yellowish-white flesh inside. It’s so rare I couldn’t even find a single photo! It was Discovered just North of Barrington Lake County Illinois by Mrs. Valerie Bordener. When not in fruit, it’s indistinguishable from the regular yellow fruited types.
NO PHOTOS EXIST!
Red Himalayan Mayapple (
Podophyllum hexandrum)
Sister Species most closest Phylogenically to the American Mayapple. These are also edible when fully ripe & Foraged sometimes in the Himayalan Region as a Wild Edible. Couldn’t find much info about their taste but some described it as ranging from tasteless to Tomato x Pawpaw Tropical Fruity flavor with strong aroma.
Many-Fruited Asian Mayapple (
Podophyllum pleianthum & versipelle Complex).
Used to be it’s own
Dysosmos genus, but now Placed into
Podophyllum. This is actually a species complex & has some rare ornamental hybrid varieties. Fully ripe fruits should be edible & I can’t wait to try one! The Multi-Fruited Trait is super useful! Ripe Fruits come in a Red or Yellow & Flowers in a Dark Red, Pink, Yellow or with long petals.
Blue Mayapple (
Podophyllum grayi)
AKA Skeleton Flower (Cuz flowers become transparent with water contact), sometimes placed in it’s own genus
Dyphylleia grayi. According to PFAF these are edible (But no details were given). I did find a French blog that mentioned they’re edible & taste sweet/sour according to Japanese Nurseryman (Apparently similar to barberry?). Reguardless, these berries are very small but could provide useful genetics into a Mayapple Landrace.
Appalachian Blue Mayapple (
Podophyllum cymosum)
AKA Umbrella Leaf (
Diphylleia cymosa). Nearly Identical to Skeleton flower except it has fruits are slightly smaller, held on red stems (Pedicels) & Flowers don’t become transparent with water. No specific mention about edibilty for this exact species, but it’s Phylogenically sister to
P. grayi, thus very likely has similar edibility. It’s a species I want to try tasting, seeds inside are red (Last Photo).
HOT TO GROW FROM SEEDMayapples are relatively easy to grow from seed (I’d follow these tips for all species). Seeds need cold stratification & germinate best with light warm to cold cycles. You can just sow them outdoors in a pot or in ground to let nature do it for you or you can sow seeds indoors, (Cold Garage or Fridge can stimulate the needed Cold Stratification). You can speed up germination by putting ziplock baggie in fridge, then putting them at room temperature in Jan/Feb/March & seeds will germinate gradually.
Seeds of different mayapple species Pictured below.
Once seeds have germinated, they will remain at the Cotyledon stage for 1 year without any true leaves (This is normal because that’s how mayapples grow, they are building a strong root system). Remember to transplant after plants go dormant cuz they can get root bound in a pot.
Here’s what the root system looks like below the shoot. You can transplant divisions easily once you get a good patch going (Great way to clone exact cultivars!)
Eventually after a few years your mayapples will start to flower/fruit. Most optimal fruiting happens sheltered under open canopy trees with lots of sunlight. Mayapples would grow perfectly under Fruit Trees, in a Food Forrest setting. The more sunlight, the more fruiting! I think the reason why they like growing under trees because is because of the sheltered environment & access to water (A good mulch may achieve the same effect).
My hope is to Inspire & equip you with the knowledge needed to grow & breed Mayapples. These wild edibles are just Begging to be domesticated, and with so many potential species to choose & Cross with, something truly incredible could be bred. So much untapped potential, I refuse to believe I’m the only one wanting to domesticate them, so join me & lets domesticate the Mayapples together!
Topic: Let's Domesticate the Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum) (Read 763 times)