Mayapple is a plant that grows wild in wooded areas of the eastern half of the United States, as far west as Texas. It is also called mandrake, wild lemon, and wild jalap. The mayapple grows in large groups or colonies. Its large leaves have 5 to 7 lobes. The leaves look somewhat like small umbrellas. They usually grow in pairs, on a stem about 1 foot (30 centimeters) high. A white flower grows on a short stalk in a fork of the stem. The flower is about 2 inches (5 centimeters) wide.
The mayapple produces a small, round fruit about the size of a golf ball. Before it ripens, the fruit is green and bitter. If eaten, it can cause severe stomach pain. The ripe fruit is yellow and can be eaten. Podophyllum resin, a drug used to remove warts, comes from the rhizomes (underground stems) of the mayapple.
