Raccoonberry Podophyllum peltatum
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- poh-doh-FY-lum pel-TAY-tum
- This plant has high severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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A perennial herb with its stem unbranched. It can be found in forests or natural areas in rich woods and fields, pastures. It often grows in colonies. The plant is dormant in the summer months, the foliage disappears. Each plant will have 1-2 large, rounded, umbrella-like, deeply divided lobed leaves that are attached to the stalk near the middle of the leaf.
Each plants 1" solitary white flower. which is 6-9 parted, is seen as nodding and hangs in axil between the plants 2 leaves. The sepals are shed as the flower opens, revealing 6 -9 waxy petals and 12 to 18 stamens with bright yellow anthers. Plants having only one umbrella-like leaf will not flower.
The fruit is apple-like, yellow when ripe and about the size of a small lemon. However, unripened fruit, leaves, and rhizomes are highly toxic if ingested and can cause severe contact dermatitis.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Shaded Slope
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Podophyllum
- Species:
- peltatum
- Family:
- Berberidaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- South East Canada to Central & Eastern U.S.A
- Wildlife Value:
- The flowers provide food for various species of bees. The fruits are eaten by wildlife including squirrels and box turtles.
- Edibility:
- EDIBLE PARTS: Ripe (yellow and soft) fruit is edible raw but in limited quantity. CAUTION: The roots and leaves are poisonous. Do NOT eat. HARVEST TIME: Collect in August or September. Only collect fruit from areas you know have NOT been treated with pesticides. SAFE HANDLING PROCEDURE: Wash fruit thoroughly with warm water. Do not use dish detergent or any type of sanitizer. These products can leave a residue. The fruit has a lemon-like flavor and can be used to make jams, jellies, and marmalade.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
- Width: 0 ft. 9 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Poisonous
- Wildflower
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Horizontal
- Open
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Soil Drainage:
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- Less than 12 inches
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4b, 4a, 5b, 5a, 6b, 6a, 7a, 7b, 8b, 8a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- Fleshy-green apple-like fruit, gold in color when ripe. The fruit is edible only when ripe.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Solitary
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Cup
- Flower Petals:
- 7 - 20 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- 1 in. solitary flower borne at the fork of the two leaf stalks. The six sepals are shed as the flower opens. Each flower has 6 to 9 waxy white petals, 12 to 18 stamens, and bright yellow anthers. While showy, they are hard to see under the leaves and last a short time.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Rosulate
- Leaf Shape:
- Palmasect
- Leaf Margin:
- Dentate
- Lobed
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Each plant grows only a pair of long-stalked umbrella-like leaves, attached to the stalk near the middle of the leaf. The large 6-8 in. leaves are deeply divided into 5 to 7 coarsely toothed lobes and 2-clefted at the end. Nonflowering plants have a single umbrella-like leaf at the top of the stem. The leaves decline and go dormant before Fall.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Native Garden
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Reptiles
- Small Mammals
- Specialized Bees
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Problems:
- Contact Dermatitis
- Poisonous to Humans
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
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Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- High
- Poison Symptoms:
- The unripe fruit and leaves cause salivation, vomiting, diarrhea, excitement, headache, fever, lethargy, panting, coma (rare). Contact with leaves or roots causes severe redness, irritation, and skin ulcers, especially to the eyes.
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Podophyllin
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- Yes
- Poison Part:
- Fruits
- Leaves
- Roots
- Stems
