 EPOD - a service of USRA

The Earth Science Picture of the Day (EPOD) highlights the diverse processes
and phenomena which shape our planet and our lives. EPOD will collect and
archive photos, imagery, graphics, and artwork with short explanatory
captions and links exemplifying features within the Earth system. The
community is invited to contribute digital imagery, short captions and
relevant links.


 May Apples in My Garden

   May 26, 2021


    Image1 (2)

   Photographer:  Dale Hugo

   Summary Author:  Dale Hugo

   Our dear neighbor asked my wife if she’d like some of her 'umbrella
   plants', as she called them. They’re really  May Apples
   ( Podophyllum peltatum), a species in the  barberry family. In
   fact, they’re the only member of this group. They’ve grown to spread
   within the confines of our small garden, where they receive a dose of
   sunshine in the morning and then deepening shade in the afternoon. They
   like shade and do well in deep forests, sprouting before the leafy
   trees in the early spring, and bearing fruit, the apples, in May and
   June. May Apples flower after about 4 or 5 years; the fragrance of
   their flower ranges from likable to stinky, dependent upon the person's
   preference.  Box turtles help spread the seeds.
   All parts of the plant except the fruit are toxic. The toxin is
    podophyllotoxin (PPT).This active ingredient can be used as a cream
   to treat warts. Native Americans used it to treat parasitic worm
   infections, deafness, snake bite and as a laxative.

   Notice that other plants are sprouting around our May Apples. These are
    peonies that will eventually tower over them, providing them shade.


   Arlington Heights, Illinois Coordinates:  42.0884, -87.9806


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    More...

Plant Links

     *  Discover Life
     *  Tree Encyclopedia
     *  What are Phytoplankton?
     *  Encyclopedia of Life - What is a Plant?
     *  USDA Plants Database
     *  University of Texas Native Plant Database
     *  Plants in Motion
     *  What Tree is It?

-
   Earth Science Picture of the Day is a service of the  Universities
   Space Research Association.

https://epod.usra.edu
 
