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the chemotherapy drug, "etoposide" was given to my infant when going through cancer treatment. I learned that the drug is derived from compounds from the Mayapple plant. Wow!
Thats amazing ... I hope YOUR child has recovered and is living a cherished life. There was a saying in the 60s and 70s... GOD made...(they were REFERING to marijuana) Man MADE ... Who do you TRUST.. As an HERBALIST friend once explained (as did my sainted Grandfather) For every ill in the world there is a plant growing near by with the remedy... I like that the mayapple which is toxic except for its fruit is a treatment that I hope has cured your child.
Adam Harriton. If I could choose anyone person to wander the forest with it would be you!! Intelligent and cheerful. Your passion for nature's secrets is completely contagious! 👌
Adam, you are a diamond to the foraging community, you have helped me expand my foraging from spring morels only to oysters, chantrelles, hens, chicken and wild fruits! Appreciate your professionalism and dedication to the community! Thank you!!
I would pick them while squirrel hunting. They are good snack with moisture when thirsty. I bite end off and squeeze in to mouth. Suck on the seeds and spit out. Sometimes I swallow seeds. Never been sick. All my family has ate them for years. I’ve ate them since I was able to eat. The seeds have been swallowed alot
Not only are these plants toxic - they are deadly if used improperly. I live in the Trenton area near the Tyendinega Native reserve. The natives have a lot of respect for this plant, and it has been used for everything from inducing an abortion (which sometimes killed the mother) to committing suicide. These things grow everywhere up here in the woods. They are extremely potent, like a lot of other plants we have; but if you respect them enough to learn about them - you certainly get an appreciation for mother nature. Love your channel. Been watching for the last year since I have become more interested in the natural world around me. Many thanks.
My dad once came across a mayapple plant while walking in the woods. He knew they were poisonous when not ripe, but he thought it looked almost ripe and figured it would probably be safe to eat. When he got home he collapsed on a lawn chair and became so sick he could barely move and he felt like he was high. He laid there for something like 8 hours and my sister's connected a bunch of straws to a glass of water so he could drink because he literally couldn't move enough to drink. In the end, he was ok. I think he learned his lesson and now he's more careful about trying plants he's unfamiliar with lol.
@@farquadmantis8486 I wish I could get that recipe grandma died 30 years ago I do remember her removing the flesh from the skin and mashing it to mix in her batter but that's all I got sorry about that
@@farquadmantis8486 folks that were in the great depression were the best cooks and could cook anything my grandma's mom taught her when she was young different era back then
Adam you are truly the best when it comes to learning our land. Your videos are not only very informative and complete but no nonsense small talk in between. You're a gem!
I walk by these plants all the time in the woods. The distinctive leaves and pretty flowers drew me to them. But I never knew what they were called. Now I know.
Hello from Wisconsin. I am smiling cuz our woods is LOADED with May Apples. I'm a Master Gardener...and love my plants. I have been transplanting May apples throughout our woods...and they thrive. But you know...been at this for over 25 years and your video showed me they are edible...smiles. Can't see the forest for the trees, eh?
Woot! Found some today totally by accident but I remembered your video and snagged a few. if I had never seen your video I woulda enjoyed the oddness of the plant and moved on. Thanks Adam!
I worked near a very large patch of May Apples for 21 years. Sometimes there would be an abundance of fruit. Regardless of how diligent I was it always seemed like the fruit would disappear very rapidly as soon as they turned yellow. I assumed it was deer beating me to it but all the animals you mentioned were present too. I never saw evidence of other people but its possible I wasn't the only one keeping track. This video makes me want to try to harvest some again. Thank you for it.
We bought a house in SW WI with a shady bed full of mayapple next to the front door! I didn't even know what it was. Last season I didn't have the guts to try the fruit but you've given me courage. Hopefully there will be a lot again this year!
I had no idea. They are plentifully abundant in my woodland adjacent to Raccoon Park, and I've seen the fruit when out walking. Definitely worth searching out since this 'rare exotic' is right in my back yard. Thanks.
@@bigDwood My farm borders Raccoon Park. When I met Adam at Sewickley Farmers Market he knew my place not from the road but from the stream leading up from the lake. Didn't know who he was at the time but had a sense he'd be someone interesting to know.
Grew up eating them and never thought it was hard to find they are everywhere at least in my woods I find them in a huge patch in my field It's always so full of fruit. Just make sure it's fully ripe so tasty Love your videos thank you
Yep. They are the best, when they get those little brown spots and bruises on them. Bit of a pain with all the seeds. Good trail nibbles, but way too much work to do anything like make jelly. Taste like candy. Slimy though.
I have been stalking a wild colony this year, from last frost to its current flourishing, hoping to have my first taste. Made the mistake of thinking they would be ripe in May, because MAY-apple... lol. You've answered my questions and the ones that hadn't occurred to me yet. Well, if the raccoons squirrels and other foragers don't get them first I'm glad to have seen a demonstration on how to eat one. Good to know that the skin is possibly not the adventure I want to flirt with. Lol. Thank you as always, Mr. Hariton. :)
Mayapple is just one of those seasonal treats that is best eaten in that little window frame that you can find them. Like treasure hunting. I also wouldn't recommend you eat a whole bunch at one time. 😊 Just a magical treat here and there.
I used to collect those back in IN. There few to none around here on the S. Cumberland Plateau... not sure why? I LOVE your videos, I learn from you regularly. Thanks for keeping this up.
Has your current location got the same kind of mature mixed hardwood forest on slopes that go down to floodplains of a creek or small river? They are usually blooming once the stinging nettles are too old for great fresh eating. Definitely after ostrich ferns have darkened out of their first bright green colour. Jack in the pulpits are budding or opening. Cedars (nearer the creek, not on the slopes) have fresh bright green growth. The forest floor is still visible between plants, brown leaf litter from previous fall has not yet turned fully into soil. Wild ginger leaves are clearly present but not yet mature size & colour. Maples are leafing out. Sumac, found outside of this kind of forest, is not yet fully leafed out This is the environment where mayapple is present in southern Ontario. Fwiw, I've never seen it in coniferous forest nor in dry soil, nor sandy nor gravelly soil. Hope this helps!
Thanks for the delightfully informative tutorial on the mayapple. I had them in my woodland garden for the sake of the flower, never suspecting that the ripe fruit was not toxic, like the rest of the plant. Can't wait to try the ripe fruit!
I had my first ripe may apple a few years ago. Oh, it was amazing!!! I don't think any would make it home if I found them again. (I did eat the seeds and skin and didnt notice any off flavor or have any adverse reaction.)
I have a lovely little patch on a mound in my side yard. However, I’ve never eaten the mayapple because I thought they were toxic. Glad to hear I can harvest them :)
Thank you so much for uploading this. I have been trying to find ripe mayapples for years and haven't found a single one. Hopefully this will be of great help.
It's May and I'm here in Pennsylvania where ive lived my whole life. I was out walking a cpl weeks ago in a local park and found a large area covered with maypple plants. There were only a few with flowers however, but i figured ill monitor the patch and see what is left in fall. Anyways yesterday i was there again and what i noticed was every single plant with a flower had all the leaves chewed off them so only stem and flower were left. i took pics even because literally every female plant was eaten this way and all the male plants were in perfect shape. I'm fairly sure it was the work of groundhogs because their dens are littered throughout this park and township. Its pretty insane tbh how many groundhogs are in this area. Anyways i found it super interesting and thought this may contribute to the elussive nature of the ripe fruit. I would also suggest that the name perhaps comes from the month it flowers not fruits.
When young, dad often made me “sickle the woods to the property line” to burn off energy. Ended up becoming a field of may apples hundreds of yards. Never knew we could eat them. My brothers & I would pick them to chuck at each other. I’m grown now & the may apples have disappeared as the woods grew up too.
I’ve tried them once, they’re all over my forest BUT everyone else gets them before me! They are so yummy! Thanks for this video Adam, I love them all.
@@genki_7 I think your right... The darn critters get the pears off my pear tree just as they'd be ripe and I never get any... I don't mind them having a share but it would be nice if they'd let me have a few too. Greedy little buggers...Any suggestions on how to scare them off... If tried an animated hawk and an owl... No luck there... They're too smart to fall for either.
@@genki_7 Thanks .. As I live with a forest pretty much around me that's not really a feasible idea either. Then after awhile they'd just avoid the trap too. Thanks ... For the suggestions and your kind speed in an attempt to help with my problem.
It's funny I was out for a hike with my kids last week and my 7 year old daughter spotted some with ripe fruit quite a distance away. We ended up harvesting 6, first I've eaten in a few years. So tasty!
Conditions were optimal in western PA this year. I could've harvested at least two dozen ripe to semi-ripe fruits in one day, but I did leave many behind. In my experiences, most years aren't like this.
Thanks Adam. I never even heard of them before! Love that when you teach me about something new at my age! lol I'll be looking around next spring where I live in western lower Michigan!
Love this! I’d love to take a class or just spend the day identifying eatable healthy wild plants. Just found a bunch of wild American persimmons and brought home. Hoping to plant and grow on our property.
No I did not thank you. The one’s I have are usually ripe by Oct. or they’re falling off the trees onto the road an deer going crazy for them. I got these hoping to plant them, not eat them for a decade or so, But thanks for the info. Do you know when muscadine grapes are fully ripe? I have a woods full of those. The vines are killing several trees so I’ve got to thin them out. We figured out what they are and tasted some last year. They are delicious!
@@samyoungblood3740 the reason for waiting till the frost hits the persimmon is to make it sweet. They're bitter and make your tongue draw up like alum would, as persimmon and alum have a similar compound. My people would use persimmons to eat and treat thrush in children. The mayapple as mentioned before was eaten after turning color and to make poison for arrow points from the root, leaves for skin problems. You said persimmon get ripe around October where you live, they get ripe here in early-mid November. Paw paw gets ripe around now - September, passion fruits around April-june. Walnut, hickory, wild pecan. One question, I see the name Youngblood, which usually points to having native American ancestry. Are you of native ancestry. I am of Saponi people, in eastern North Carolina. To many of us we recognize our true ancestry, the Tous or Touscarora people, a warrior nation. I myself am involved in weapons making, medicinal plants, wild foraging. I am Iearning crafts to a lesser degree. I believe in having the ability and not need it, than needing ability and not having it. In this world you never know.
The forest floor behind my house was literally blanketed with Mayapples... Then in the late 80's they began logging out a good portion of the trees and the Mayapples went away. Sad. But I did have a great time growing up exploring the woods.
We have lots of these in Southern Ontario and I never knew we could eat the ripe fruit. Thanks. Unfortunately, the animals usually get them before the humans do.
Found and consumed my first ripe may apple fruit this year while out mushroom foraging. Awesome new find for a plant that grows everywhere here in nw Arkansas.
I’m in central Arkansas and I am seeing little green fruits on mayapples in mid March. Wondering when they will be ripe here? I was thinking maybe July?
@@jennr6928 yes I think July and August would be your best best. I went back looking through old foraging photos. Sadly I had none. But I seem to find them most ripe when summer really sets in and we haven't had rain for a while. They taste best when they are over ripe. Little brown bruises.
The map you presented shows may apples in eastern Oklahoma, my stomping ground. I have not seen them. But I knew nothing about them except what I heard a couple of older friends say. Thank you for this presentation.
They're quite plentiful in the Ozark woods of northeast Oklahoma. Good luck searching them out in your area! If you're anywhere in the area from Poteau to Broken Bow, I bet you won't have any issues.
Very informative. I have many may apples that grow on my property. I have always heard that they were edible, but when I bit in to one of the fruits, it was bitter so I spit it out. Now I know that it wasn't ripe. I can't wait to try them correctly. I have been educated. Thank you
I learned of mayapple when I first started foraging in Northern Ohio 40 years ago. I noticed an abundance of plants this year. You inspired me to go out tomorrow and find the fruit.
Thank you, Adam. I know where a patch is located, but for years avoided because they're toxic. Thanks to your video, I'm definitely going to see if there are any fruits now.
Thanks adam ive found these in my neck of woods here in mid-eastern pa.but wasnt sure of toxicity so didnt eat,which is a shame i too love starburst. I just love ur tutorials on shrooms n edible-non edible fauna!!!seems like i might know you two yrs back i went mushrooming with a fella who worked at a gas station on I-80 near loganton pa.he knew his shrooms we just small talked about them,next weekend he took me out to his haunts,found some lovely oysters.he had an odd hobby he told me he collected roadkill then bleached bones and wire n glued them into window ledge displays,that wasnt you was it,just wondering if i had at actually meet you once upon a time.cool if it was im even more addicated to outdoors from that influence.snooky pa.💥👍😜🤪👌💥
I found so many of these today in my short hike in the woods with my puppy. It's a shame none were ripe. With my bad eyesight, at first I thought I spotted grapes and was confused. A closer look revealed an abundance of mayapple plants littered across this particular wooded area. Northern Delaware here.
I started my study of wild edibles in Elk County, Pa. with my favorite field guide by Lee Allen Peterson. Your videos take the whole foraging to a very higher level. Thank you... Just a note on the may-apples: When ripe, I pop the whole thing in my mouth, getting a taste akin to a giant grape, though I've never eatten more than a couple at a time. The edibles guide states as you said, the pulp is edible But Cautions the rest of the plant is strongly cathartic/a purgative. These things grow all over my hometown in western N.Y... Thanks again.
I remember in grade school reading A Light in the Forrest. The main character was going through a tough time and spoke of doing himself in by eating ''the fruit of the may apple''. I had always assumed the reference was the fruit of jimsonweed. Thanx for the awesome content.
That was a great video. I was always told that may apple was poisonous. I was introduced to it as a kid foraging for morels. You kind of mentioned that it's a morel indicator for crop timing, but I've learned it is an indicator for location too. Morels and mayapple seem to grow in similar environments, often together.
There are hundreds of these at my local park, and I'm looking forward to eating the fruit when it's ready! They bloom on my birthday, too, which makes them extra special!
James Whitcome Riley, the "Hoosier Poet" mentioned the pleasure of eating Mayapple fruit as a boy in one of his poems. I was told that the Mayapple is a biannual that grew one leaf it's first year and two the second along with fruiting. I did not understand when and how to eat it till now. Thank You
I harvested these ripe fruits near Saratoga Springs, N.Y. many years ago as a teenager. Found a large patch not far from town. Enough to fill a medium size basket. The fragrance was very sweet and filled the kitchen where I had them stored. Its a smell you never forget. I made jelly out of the fruit which was delicious. It was a very unique experience.
Awesome. May apples and hunting for Snipes were old tricks to get people to wander the woods looking for something that doesn't exist, or at least I thought. They really do exist. At least the May Apples.
So good to have a fellow Pittsburgher so well versed in our local forage. I have may apples in my forest garden now, looking forward to see if they eventually fruit. ❤
While strolling along the Rose Kennedy Greenway in Boston Massachusetts, we discovered a bounty of May Apples. I tentatively cut one open, tasted the soft sweet smelling pulp inside and was pleasantly surprised by the taste. I picked about 10 to take home and I'm going to try propagating this delicious fruit in my own yard in central Virginia. Do you have any advice for growing this plant?
I have over 5 wooded acres in western part of Virginia Shenandoah Valley and my Mayapples were already withered and gone by mid to late July. Can't even see traces of them anywhere here. These things literally grow all over the place. I think the squirrels got to them early too just like they throw off the Hickory nuts and cherries early as well.
Great video. Looks like eating mayapple is similar to consuming passionfruit right off the vine...or figs off the tree. Also, it's interesting to hear the flavor profile described as 'tropical' similar to pawpaw; another species of wild edible native to North America.
I just found a huge patch of these up here in Ontario Canada. They're everywhere here. Found one with 5 apples on one plant. Smell amazing and taste great too. Thank you for all the knowledge 🙏
Thanks for the wealth of knowledge as always, Adam. The timing of this video is amazing to me. I'm from tropical South America, and had never heard about this fruit until now. But the past couple of days I've seen squirrels carrying a fruit that looks a lot like a ripe guava--which puzzled me, because I know guavas don't grow here in Maryland. Now I know that it is possibly a mayapple. I will keep an eye out for the plant next time I walk in the woods.
I watched your Mayapple plant video. I successfully found a patch in the woods off of a hiking trail I frequent. I rechecked it today and I found the flowers you described. I'm looking forward to seeing if any fruit develops, but the woods are full of animals so I am not totally confident about actually getting any fruit. Your video was very descriptive and I was amazed that I successfully found the plants and later observed the flowers. I live in Southern Michigan.
Adam, thanks for the information and inspiration. I'm heading out right now to check my spots for nuts and mushrooms, and now adding mayapples to the list. I look forward to trying them this year. Much love from the Midwest US 💖
I love em' but they're hard to come across in my neck of the woods. There's plenty of them but it seems like the second they're ripe the raccoons, squirrels, and the like are always a step ahead of me. It was a very good year here in Northern Kentucky as well so the critters didn't horde them all so I was able to get a decent amount this year. I like to juice them and make mayapple lemonade. Something my mom used to make me back in the day. I agree they're best as they are eaten on the spot though. Same as just about all wild fruit.
Thanks for teaching me my daily dose of something new. I've seen these plants for years and never noticed that they had fruits but now I'll be looking for sure 👍
Thanks, Adam! You may already have a video regarding PawPaw fruits, yet this one reminded me of our first harvest of PawPaw on our property just last year! And yes, we have lots of ‘critters’ in competition, in Southern Indiana.
Nice and thanks. I tried starting some from seed in a local greenspace. Pushing the range at 49 degrees north. If it works I’ll post in these comments.
I think I knew this in the back of my mind somewhere, but good to see it confirmed here, plus I have a ton of this plant. So, Solomon’s Seal flowers in the spring, may apples in the summer, and my pawpaws and sunchokes in the fall. I can forage quite a bit in my own yard.
I wish we had them around our area, I used to pick them when I was a kid in Southern Michigan. I did notice a couple of spots on your map in Maine that had some so I'm going to look there
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the chemotherapy drug, "etoposide" was given to my infant when going through cancer treatment. I learned that the drug is derived from compounds from the Mayapple plant. Wow!
I do hope your baby is well now.
❤️🙏
May your baby recover and l I ve a glorious life. If that didn't happen may your baby rest with the other angels.
Thats amazing ... I hope YOUR child has recovered and is living a cherished life.
There was a saying in the 60s and 70s... GOD made...(they were REFERING to marijuana) Man MADE ... Who do you TRUST.. As an HERBALIST friend once explained (as did my sainted Grandfather) For every ill in the world there is a plant growing near by with the remedy...
I like that the mayapple which is toxic except for its fruit is a treatment that I hope has cured your child.
Shud have used cannabis instead of poison chemo
Adam Harriton. If I could choose anyone person to wander the forest with it would be you!! Intelligent and cheerful. Your passion for nature's secrets is completely contagious! 👌
Well said. My sentiments exactly.
My ancestors ate the fruit and used the roots for poison on their arrow points. The leaves were used in medicine.
That’s awesome.
Who were your ancestors? That’s very interesting, I didn’t know any culture that used this plant as a poison.
Adam, you are a diamond to the foraging community, you have helped me expand my foraging from spring morels only to oysters, chantrelles, hens, chicken and wild fruits! Appreciate your professionalism and dedication to the community! Thank you!!
I feel like a genius after being subscribed to this channel for a couple of years.
Just subscribed 3-4 days ago and already getting those Genius vibes! Love this channel!!!!
I would pick them while squirrel hunting. They are good snack with moisture when thirsty. I bite end off and squeeze in to mouth. Suck on the seeds and spit out. Sometimes I swallow seeds. Never been sick. All my family has ate them for years. I’ve ate them since I was able to eat. The seeds have been swallowed alot
Good to know about swalling seeds, I've been wondering about that. Thanks!
Not only are these plants toxic - they are deadly if used improperly. I live in the Trenton area near the Tyendinega Native reserve. The natives have a lot of respect for this plant, and it has been used for everything from inducing an abortion (which sometimes killed the mother) to committing suicide.
These things grow everywhere up here in the woods. They are extremely potent, like a lot of other plants we have; but if you respect them enough to learn about them - you certainly get an appreciation for mother nature.
Love your channel. Been watching for the last year since I have become more interested in the natural world around me. Many thanks.
Saw your post... I live near Napanee
My dad once came across a mayapple plant while walking in the woods. He knew they were poisonous when not ripe, but he thought it looked almost ripe and figured it would probably be safe to eat.
When he got home he collapsed on a lawn chair and became so sick he could barely move and he felt like he was high.
He laid there for something like 8 hours and my sister's connected a bunch of straws to a glass of water so he could drink because he literally couldn't move enough to drink.
In the end, he was ok. I think he learned his lesson and now he's more careful about trying plants he's unfamiliar with lol.
Did he eat the skin
My grandma used to take to the woods to collect them she made jelly and jam and when she would make the mayapple cake OMG!!!!!!!! THE CAKE WAS SO GOOD
You have to get that recipe for the cake
@@farquadmantis8486 I wish I could get that recipe grandma died 30 years ago I do remember her removing the flesh from the skin and mashing it to mix in her batter but that's all I got sorry about that
@@farquadmantis8486 folks that were in the great depression were the best cooks and could cook anything my grandma's mom taught her when she was young different era back then
Adam you are truly the best when it comes to learning our land. Your videos are not only very informative and complete but no nonsense small talk in between. You're a gem!
Hello pat
I walk by these plants all the time in the woods. The distinctive leaves and pretty flowers drew me to them. But I never knew what they were called. Now I know.
Hello from Wisconsin. I am smiling cuz our woods is LOADED with May Apples. I'm a Master Gardener...and love my plants. I have been transplanting May apples throughout our woods...and they thrive. But you know...been at this for over 25 years and your video showed me they are edible...smiles. Can't see the forest for the trees, eh?
Woot! Found some today totally by accident but I remembered your video and snagged a few. if I had never seen your video I woulda enjoyed the oddness of the plant and moved on. Thanks Adam!
I worked near a very large patch of May Apples for 21 years. Sometimes there would be an abundance of fruit. Regardless of how diligent I was it always seemed like the fruit would disappear very rapidly as soon as they turned yellow. I assumed it was deer beating me to it but all the animals you mentioned were present too. I never saw evidence of other people but its possible I wasn't the only one keeping track. This video makes me want to try to harvest some again. Thank you for it.
Great video. I never knew you could eat these. My brother and I used to pick them and throw them at each other in the woods.
Sibling shenanigans sounds like a fantastic way to spread the seeds!
@@carriebecker8383 love the word "shenanigans", and the alliteration, Carrie.
Thankyou for sharing.
We bought a house in SW WI with a shady bed full of mayapple next to the front door! I didn't even know what it was. Last season I didn't have the guts to try the fruit but you've given me courage. Hopefully there will be a lot again this year!
I had no idea. They are plentifully abundant in my woodland adjacent to Raccoon Park, and I've seen the fruit when out walking. Definitely worth searching out since this 'rare exotic' is right in my back yard. Thanks.
I've seen a bunch at moraine as well. Now I know. Now I have Saturday plans.
@@Cybermunky7 My next day off isn't till Sunday.
Are you an East Liverpool Ohio resident ? Raccoon park in pa.
@@bigDwood My farm borders Raccoon Park. When I met Adam at Sewickley Farmers Market he knew my place not from the road but from the stream leading up from the lake. Didn't know who he was at the time but had a sense he'd be someone interesting to know.
Grew up eating them and never thought it was hard to find they are everywhere at least in my woods
I find them in a huge patch in my field
It's always so full of fruit.
Just make sure it's fully ripe so tasty
Love your videos thank you
Describe the taste!!! Is it better than Apple 😮😮😮😮😮
Yep. They are the best, when they get those little brown spots and bruises on them. Bit of a pain with all the seeds. Good trail nibbles, but way too much work to do anything like make jelly.
Taste like candy. Slimy though.
@@robertmoreau8663 nothing like apple- more tropical citrus candy.
Woo hoo I have time this year in West Michigan to search for these new foods! Thx Adam
I have been stalking a wild colony this year, from last frost to its current flourishing, hoping to have my first taste. Made the mistake of thinking they would be ripe in May, because MAY-apple... lol. You've answered my questions and the ones that hadn't occurred to me yet. Well, if the raccoons squirrels and other foragers don't get them first I'm glad to have seen a demonstration on how to eat one. Good to know that the skin is possibly not the adventure I want to flirt with. Lol. Thank you as always, Mr. Hariton. :)
Mayapple is just one of those seasonal treats that is best eaten in that little window frame that you can find them. Like treasure hunting. I also wouldn't recommend you eat a whole bunch at one time. 😊 Just a magical treat here and there.
I used to collect those back in IN. There few to none around here on the S. Cumberland Plateau... not sure why?
I LOVE your videos, I learn from you regularly. Thanks for keeping this up.
They're all over the forests in IN.
@@kimberlysimpson343 Yes they are, they were a good sign for morels, I've ever considered trying to transplant some up here...I miss them.
Has your current location got the same kind of mature mixed hardwood forest on slopes that go down to floodplains of a creek or small river? They are usually blooming once the stinging nettles are too old for great fresh eating. Definitely after ostrich ferns have darkened out of their first bright green colour. Jack in the pulpits are budding or opening. Cedars (nearer the creek, not on the slopes) have fresh bright green growth. The forest floor is still visible between plants, brown leaf litter from previous fall has not yet turned fully into soil. Wild ginger leaves are clearly present but not yet mature size & colour. Maples are leafing out. Sumac, found outside of this kind of forest, is not yet fully leafed out
This is the environment where mayapple is present in southern Ontario. Fwiw, I've never seen it in coniferous forest nor in dry soil, nor sandy nor gravelly soil.
Hope this helps!
Most interesting
Thanks for the delightfully informative tutorial on the mayapple. I had them in my woodland garden for the sake of the flower, never suspecting that the ripe fruit was not toxic, like the rest of the plant. Can't wait to try the ripe fruit!
thank you, yet another wild fruit on my land!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Black berries, autumn olives, grapes and persimmons Yeah!!!!
I had my first ripe may apple a few years ago. Oh, it was amazing!!! I don't think any would make it home if I found them again. (I did eat the seeds and skin and didnt notice any off flavor or have any adverse reaction.)
I have a lovely little patch on a mound in my side yard. However, I’ve never eaten the mayapple because I thought they were toxic. Glad to hear I can harvest them :)
Thank you so much for uploading this. I have been trying to find ripe mayapples for years and haven't found a single one. Hopefully this will be of great help.
He is so thorough!
This was very informative. Thank you.
Hello Ellen
I know there are a lot of Mayapple on the Appalachian Trail, so I will watch for the ripe Mayapple fruit while hiking. Thank you.
I only eat the inner pulp, just under the skin. To me, the best flavor to compare it to is a mango.
Wow. I know that plant as I see it all the time in my forages. But never knew it had an edible fruit. Always something new.
same.
It's May and I'm here in Pennsylvania where ive lived my whole life. I was out walking a cpl weeks ago in a local park and found a large area covered with maypple plants. There were only a few with flowers however, but i figured ill monitor the patch and see what is left in fall. Anyways yesterday i was there again and what i noticed was every single plant with a flower had all the leaves chewed off them so only stem and flower were left. i took pics even because literally every female plant was eaten this way and all the male plants were in perfect shape. I'm fairly sure it was the work of groundhogs because their dens are littered throughout this park and township. Its pretty insane tbh how many groundhogs are in this area. Anyways i found it super interesting and thought this may contribute to the elussive nature of the ripe fruit.
I would also suggest that the name perhaps comes from the month it flowers not fruits.
Cool stuff...I'm A Chef, so I would definitely just enjoy them as you recommended. ✌
I had NO IDEA! I have seen them so many times and never even knew. Thank you, Adam!
When young, dad often made me “sickle the woods to the property line” to burn off energy. Ended up becoming a field of may apples hundreds of yards. Never knew we could eat them. My brothers & I would pick them to chuck at each other. I’m grown now & the may apples have disappeared as the woods grew up too.
Thank you! There are lots of mayapple in S. Ontario. Next time I'll look for the fruits.
I found these last year on a nature walk and had no idea what it was! I'm going back to the same place this year to search!! Thank you for this info.
Western PA here. Great videos. Keep them coming.
Thanks!
I’ve tried them once, they’re all over my forest BUT everyone else gets them before me! They are so yummy! Thanks for this video Adam, I love them all.
I think it’s probably more likely that the squirrels get them. They love May apples!
@@genki_7 I think your right... The darn critters get the pears off my pear tree just as they'd be ripe and I never get any... I don't mind them having a share but it would be nice if they'd let me have a few too.
Greedy little buggers...Any suggestions on how to scare them off... If tried an animated hawk and an owl... No luck there... They're too smart to fall for either.
@@marianlincoln9008 I wish I knew how to scare them off, too! But no ideas…short of live trapping and relocating them. 😒
@@genki_7 Thanks ..
As I live with a forest pretty much around me that's not really a feasible idea either. Then after awhile they'd just avoid the trap too.
Thanks ... For the suggestions and your kind speed in an attempt to help with my problem.
FYI these grow profusely here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. It's hard to get any however, as the wildlife is crazy about them
It's funny I was out for a hike with my kids last week and my 7 year old daughter spotted some with ripe fruit quite a distance away. We ended up harvesting 6, first I've eaten in a few years. So tasty!
I have tons of these in my backyard this year. Never in the past but this year I have fruit. So exciting!!!!!
A dozen in a day! I'd die of happiness. I think 6 is the most I've ever found at one time.
Conditions were optimal in western PA this year. I could've harvested at least two dozen ripe to semi-ripe fruits in one day, but I did leave many behind. In my experiences, most years aren't like this.
Thanks Adam. I never even heard of them before! Love that when you teach me about something new at my age! lol I'll be looking around next spring where I live in western lower Michigan!
Thank you for your wonderful, detailed videos. Everyone needs to "Learn your land" for sure!
Love this! I’d love to take a class or just spend the day identifying eatable healthy wild plants. Just found a bunch of wild American persimmons and brought home. Hoping to plant and grow on our property.
You do know to let frost hit persimmon first before eating.
No I did not thank you. The one’s I have are usually ripe by Oct. or they’re falling off the trees onto the road an deer going crazy for them. I got these hoping to plant them, not eat them for a decade or so, But thanks for the info. Do you know when muscadine grapes are fully ripe? I have a woods full of those. The vines are killing several trees so I’ve got to thin them out. We figured out what they are and tasted some last year. They are delicious!
We’re wanting a all natural wild food forest for the future. We may not be around to enjoy all of it, but our children an grandchildren might.
I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. I’m becoming a believer in Organic foods “not found in stores” being the best medicine.
@@samyoungblood3740 the reason for waiting till the frost hits the persimmon is to make it sweet. They're bitter and make your tongue draw up like alum would, as persimmon and alum have a similar compound. My people would use persimmons to eat and treat thrush in children. The mayapple as mentioned before was eaten after turning color and to make poison for arrow points from the root, leaves for skin problems. You said persimmon get ripe around October where you live, they get ripe here in early-mid November. Paw paw gets ripe around now - September, passion fruits around April-june. Walnut, hickory, wild pecan. One question, I see the name Youngblood, which usually points to having native American ancestry. Are you of native ancestry. I am of Saponi people, in eastern North Carolina. To many of us we recognize our true ancestry, the Tous or Touscarora people, a warrior nation. I myself am involved in weapons making, medicinal plants, wild foraging. I am Iearning crafts to a lesser degree. I believe in having the ability and not need it, than needing ability and not having it. In this world you never know.
The forest floor behind my house was literally blanketed with Mayapples... Then in the late 80's they began logging out a good portion of the trees and the Mayapples went away. Sad. But I did have a great time growing up exploring the woods.
We have lots of these in Southern Ontario and I never knew we could eat the ripe fruit. Thanks. Unfortunately, the animals usually get them before the humans do.
Hello Karen
With the squirrels and garbage pandas we have in S Quebec, I think the almost ripe ones are the only chance we have in finding any.
I have several patches of Mayapples in the field out back. I'm going to go check them! Thanks!
I've seen these so often... now I'll know when I can have a delicious snack! Thanks!
Found and consumed my first ripe may apple fruit this year while out mushroom foraging. Awesome new find for a plant that grows everywhere here in nw Arkansas.
I’m in Fayetteville! Did you find them in Aug? They’re all over my place
@@TylerMcMahan yea I found a couple ripe ones a couple weeks ago. Most of them should ripe already.
I’m in central Arkansas and I am seeing little green fruits on mayapples in mid March. Wondering when they will be ripe here? I was thinking maybe July?
@@jennr6928 yes I think July and August would be your best best. I went back looking through old foraging photos. Sadly I had none. But I seem to find them most ripe when summer really sets in and we haven't had rain for a while. They taste best when they are over ripe. Little brown bruises.
Awesome video! I've seen these in the woods with the white flower blooming but never knew what they were.
I'VE WALKED PAST THEM ALL MY LIFE AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO
The map you presented shows may apples in eastern Oklahoma, my stomping ground. I have not seen them. But I knew nothing about them except what I heard a couple of older friends say. Thank you for this presentation.
They're quite plentiful in the Ozark woods of northeast Oklahoma. Good luck searching them out in your area! If you're anywhere in the area from Poteau to Broken Bow, I bet you won't have any issues.
Big patches of Mayapple this year up in SE Michigan. Fruiting is looking good this year. Great vid!
Always look forward to your new videos I'm local to you and love to forage. Thanks for all of your knowledge
Very informative. I have many may apples that grow on my property. I have always heard that they were edible, but when I bit in to one of the fruits, it was bitter so I spit it out. Now I know that it wasn't ripe. I can't wait to try them correctly. I have been educated. Thank you
I learned of mayapple when I first started foraging in Northern Ohio 40 years ago. I noticed an abundance of plants this year. You inspired me to go out tomorrow and find the fruit.
Thank you, Adam. I know where a patch is located, but for years avoided because they're toxic. Thanks to your video, I'm definitely going to see if there are any fruits now.
Thanks adam ive found these in my neck of woods here in mid-eastern pa.but wasnt sure of toxicity so didnt eat,which is a shame i too love starburst. I just love ur tutorials on shrooms n edible-non edible fauna!!!seems like i might know you two yrs back i went mushrooming with a fella who worked at a gas station on I-80 near loganton pa.he knew his shrooms we just small talked about them,next weekend he took me out to his haunts,found some lovely oysters.he had an odd hobby he told me he collected roadkill then bleached bones and wire n glued them into window ledge displays,that wasnt you was it,just wondering if i had at actually meet you once upon a time.cool if it was im even more addicated to outdoors from that influence.snooky pa.💥👍😜🤪👌💥
I found so many of these today in my short hike in the woods with my puppy. It's a shame none were ripe. With my bad eyesight, at first I thought I spotted grapes and was confused. A closer look revealed an abundance of mayapple plants littered across this particular wooded area. Northern Delaware here.
Thank you again for another fantastic and informative video!!
Great video, great content, so informational and good to know, thank you.
I started my study of wild edibles in Elk County, Pa. with my favorite field guide by Lee Allen Peterson. Your videos take the whole foraging to a very higher level. Thank you... Just a note on the may-apples: When ripe, I pop the whole thing in my mouth, getting a taste akin to a giant grape, though I've never eatten more than a couple at a time. The edibles guide states as you said, the pulp is edible But Cautions the rest of the plant is strongly cathartic/a purgative. These things grow all over my hometown in western N.Y... Thanks again.
Would love to see these video treasures before harvest! Going looking this week!!! ❤️✌️
I remember in grade school reading A Light in the Forrest. The main character was going through a tough time and spoke of doing himself in by eating ''the fruit of the may apple''. I had always assumed the reference was the fruit of jimsonweed. Thanx for the awesome content.
These things are all over my yard! Did not know they bore fruit, but now I'll be looking.
I saw these just the other day while out looking for CoW! I'll have to go back and grab some 😄
Your information is always fantastic!
Thank you 🙏
That was a great video. I was always told that may apple was poisonous. I was introduced to it as a kid foraging for morels. You kind of mentioned that it's a morel indicator for crop timing, but I've learned it is an indicator for location too. Morels and mayapple seem to grow in similar environments, often together.
There is a ton of mayapples on my property. And I checked and several have two leaves. This is so exciting. I will be waiting and watching :)
There are hundreds of these at my local park, and I'm looking forward to eating the fruit when it's ready! They bloom on my birthday, too, which makes them extra special!
I'm excited to have one more thing to look for and eat when I take my dogs out for walks!
My dog's such a handful I'll have to go without him. He drags me past a huge patch of them daily.
Great report Adam. Thank You.
James Whitcome Riley, the "Hoosier Poet" mentioned the pleasure of eating Mayapple fruit as a boy in one of his poems. I was told that the Mayapple is a biannual that grew one leaf it's first year and two the second along with fruiting. I did not understand when and how to eat it till now. Thank You
I harvested these ripe fruits near Saratoga Springs, N.Y. many years ago as a teenager. Found a large patch not far from town. Enough to fill a medium size basket. The fragrance was very sweet and filled the kitchen where I had them stored. Its a smell you never forget. I made jelly out of the fruit which was delicious. It was a very unique experience.
Awesome. May apples and hunting for Snipes were old tricks to get people to wander the woods looking for something that doesn't exist, or at least I thought. They really do exist. At least the May Apples.
Snipes is another name for woodcocks.
So good to have a fellow Pittsburgher so well versed in our local forage. I have may apples in my forest garden now, looking forward to see if they eventually fruit. ❤
Oh how I miss living in the northwest. We had those everywhere! But thanks for the info, will store it in my brain😁😍💜
While strolling along the Rose Kennedy Greenway in Boston Massachusetts, we discovered a bounty of May Apples. I tentatively cut one open, tasted the soft sweet smelling pulp inside and was pleasantly surprised by the taste. I picked about 10 to take home and I'm going to try propagating this delicious fruit in my own yard in central Virginia. Do you have any advice for growing this plant?
Thank you. These are everywhere near me, but never knew these could be consumed. Amazing.
I have over 5 wooded acres in western part of Virginia Shenandoah Valley and my Mayapples were already withered and gone by mid to late July. Can't even see traces of them anywhere here. These things literally grow all over the place. I think the squirrels got to them early too just like they throw off the Hickory nuts and cherries early as well.
Great video. Looks like eating mayapple is similar to consuming passionfruit right off the vine...or figs off the tree. Also, it's interesting to hear the flavor profile described as 'tropical' similar to pawpaw; another species of wild edible native to North America.
Thank you, Adam! 🌱❤
Great program Adam. Thank you🙏🍀🍋 You are a great woodsman.
I used to pick mayapples for my grandma. She loved them.
I just found a huge patch of these up here in Ontario Canada. They're everywhere here. Found one with 5 apples on one plant. Smell amazing and taste great too. Thank you for all the knowledge 🙏
My second time watching. May Apple flowered in S Ohio now. Wanted to review great tips again. Thank you!
I live in the MD PA border but from PA. Can’t wait to search for this! Thank you Adam! Your videos make me so happy.
Thanks for the wealth of knowledge as always, Adam. The timing of this video is amazing to me. I'm from tropical South America, and had never heard about this fruit until now. But the past couple of days I've seen squirrels carrying a fruit that looks a lot like a ripe guava--which puzzled me, because I know guavas don't grow here in Maryland. Now I know that it is possibly a mayapple. I will keep an eye out for the plant next time I walk in the woods.
I watched your Mayapple plant video. I successfully found a patch in the woods off of a hiking trail I frequent. I rechecked it today and I found the flowers you described. I'm looking forward to seeing if any fruit develops, but the woods are full of animals so I am not totally confident about actually getting any fruit. Your video was very descriptive and I was amazed that I successfully found the plants and later observed the flowers. I live in Southern Michigan.
Adam, thanks for the information and inspiration. I'm heading out right now to check my spots for nuts and mushrooms, and now adding mayapples to the list. I look forward to trying them this year.
Much love from the Midwest US 💖
I love em' but they're hard to come across in my neck of the woods. There's plenty of them but it seems like the second they're ripe the raccoons, squirrels, and the like are always a step ahead of me. It was a very good year here in Northern Kentucky as well so the critters didn't horde them all so I was able to get a decent amount this year. I like to juice them and make mayapple lemonade. Something my mom used to make me back in the day. I agree they're best as they are eaten on the spot though. Same as just about all wild fruit.
Thanks for teaching me my daily dose of something new. I've seen these plants for years and never noticed that they had fruits but now I'll be looking for sure 👍
Thanks, Adam! You may already have a video regarding PawPaw fruits, yet this one reminded me of our first harvest of PawPaw on our property just last year!
And yes, we have lots of ‘critters’ in competition, in Southern Indiana.
Nice and thanks. I tried starting some from seed in a local greenspace. Pushing the range at 49 degrees north. If it works I’ll post in these comments.
Love your videos. Thank you! I will have to try the May apples this year.
I think I knew this in the back of my mind somewhere, but good to see it confirmed here, plus I have a ton of this plant. So, Solomon’s Seal flowers in the spring, may apples in the summer, and my pawpaws and sunchokes in the fall. I can forage quite a bit in my own yard.
I wish we had them around our area, I used to pick them when I was a kid in Southern Michigan. I did notice a couple of spots on your map in Maine that had some so I'm going to look there