Mayapple
Podophyllum is a low umbrella-leaved plant; its unripe fruit and plant are toxic.
Use the botanical sourceCulinary reference
Pawpaw.
Asimina triloba
Also found as American pawpaw
An understory tree of eastern North America with large drooping leaves and custardy tropical-tasting fruit.
Sources checked 27 September 2026 · Specialist field review pending
Before any gathering or use
Seeds and skin contain toxic compounds. Some people react with digestive upset or skin rash.
Where it grows
Tracked records and known growing zone
- Verified records
- 34,445
- People who recorded it
- 14,869
- Most records (northern hemisphere)
- Apr–Jun, Aug–Sep
- Records span
- 1979–2026
| January | 118 |
|---|---|
| February | 193 |
| March | 1126 |
| April | 7319 |
| May | 4858 |
| June | 3690 |
| July | 3472 |
| August | 3676 |
| September | 4544 |
| October | 3609 |
| November | 1315 |
| December | 525 |
Research-grade iNaturalist records, snapshot Aug 27, 2026. The growing zone combines areas where different people have repeatedly verified it. Records show where people looked and found it, not current abundance or permission to gather.
01 / Learn to see
Field marks
- 01
Large, drooping, oblong leaves clustered toward branch tips.
- 02
Maroon, six-petaled flowers before the leaves in spring.
- 03
Green, mango-shaped fruits in clusters that yellow and soften when ripe.
These are study prompts, not a complete identification key. Confirm the full plant with a regional flora and an experienced local identifier.
02 / Resolve the differences
Look closely. Compare.
Selected comparisons only. Other lookalikes may occur locally.
03 / Meet the place
Habitat & season
Range context
Eastern United States and southern Ontario, especially river bottoms.
Watch the plant stage
Fruits ripen in late summer to early autumn.
Stage guidance is not a local forecast. Check your climate, elevation and a regional source; no month-shift formula is used here.
04 / Gather with care
Documented use & care
Parts discussed: Fruit
Eat ripe flesh raw; discard skin and seeds.
Care for the patch
Leave fallen fruit for wildlife and seed dispersal.
Preparation & storage essentials05 / Follow the evidence
Sources & review
- Wikipedia · Asimina trilobaBotanical description, range and documented use
- iNaturalist · Asimina trilobaTaxonomy and verified observation records
Checked 27 September 2026. Original editorial synthesis; source institutions have not reviewed or endorsed this guide. Independent botanical field review is pending. Photos illustrate specimens; they do not certify the identity of a plant you find.
Suggest a correction