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Mayapple Blooms

Posted by wilde on May 8th, 2006 — Posted in Vegetable

The first week of May heralded the arrival of Mayapple flowers. For a couple of weeks now the showy umbrella-shaped leaves have been expanding to their full size. Some are over a foot wide. The flowers are located underneath the canopy of huge green leaves.

Mayapple flower and bud at the “Y” of two leaves.

Usually the mayapple has two leaves overhanging a solitary flower that is borne from the “Y” of the two leaf stems. Here, we found a colony of mayapple containing a few plants having only one leaf over the single flower, which is contrary to what you might read in some wildflower books.

Single mayapple leaf and blossom.

Single and double leaves overhanging the solitary mayapple flower. 

Besides the mayapples there are wild geraniums in bloom along the lane and in the woods under a light canopy of deciduous trees. The ground berries or brambles are ever present now and will bloom repeatedly for a month or more. The lily-of-the-valley is still in bloom and giving off its beautiful scent. The last of the common violets has faded away this week.

Lily-of-the-valley is still blooming and giving off its sweet scent.

Bright yellow flowers in the yard are five-petaled cinquefoil.

Mayapple flowers under the canopy.