Podophyllum peltatum (mayapple)

Japanese name: アメリカハッカクレン
Scientific name: Podophyllum peltatum

[Overview]
A perennial 30–50 cm tall.
In its native range it grows in forests, with yellow rhizomes creeping sideways and forming colonies.
Plants that do not flower have 1 leaf, and flowering plants have 2 leaves that are almost opposite; they are round, about 20–30 cm across, palmately divided into 5–9 lobes, with each lobe further divided in 2.
The long leaf stalk is attached peltately.
The flower is borne singly, slightly nodding, at the tip of a flower stalk emerging from between the leaves; it is white, 5–7.5 cm across, with 6–9 petals that are somewhat waxy.
The fruit is an elliptical, fleshy berry 2–5 cm long, ripening yellow.
In summer the aboveground parts die back and the plant goes dormant.

[Uses]
The stems, leaves, unripe fruit and rhizome are poisonous, but the rhizome is used medicinally.
Unripe fruit is poisonous, but ripe fruit is non-toxic and sweet, and can be used in jam, jelly and the like.

[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed or by division.
It prefers fertile, well-drained, well-ventilated soil.
Place it in bright shade throughout the year, or in a place that is sunny until the flowering period and in partial shade in summer.
When planted in the ground, it is good to plant it under deciduous trees.
For potted plants, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries; for plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient unless sunny weather continues and the soil becomes dry.
Place slow-release fertilizer on the soil after the shoots emerge in spring and after flowering, so that no fertilizer remains in summer.
There are no particular pests or diseases.

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