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Chinese Mayapple

Podophyllum pleianthum (po-do-FILL-um plee-AN-thum)

Family: Berberidaceae Non-native Herbaceous (1-3 ft)

Chinese mayapple is a herbaceous perennial native to China and Tawian in the Berberidaceae (barberry) family. Pant it in well drained moist rich soils in partial to full shade. It has beautiful large glossy star shaped leaves, burgundy flowers and apricot fruits. It is resistant to browsing by deer and damage by snails and slugs. Use it in the front of a shade border or woodland garden or plant it in a container that can be elevated so the deep magenta flowers can be enjoyed. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 38 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Herbaceous Perennial; Perennial
Life cycle
Perennial
Light
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
Good Drainage | Moist
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 6 in. - 2 ft. 0 in. | Width: 0 ft. 9 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf shape
Orbicular
Leaf feel
Glossy
Leaf value
Showy
Leaf size
> 6 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Simple, large light green lobed umbrella like, glossy star shaped orbicular leaves up to 12" across
Flower color
Red/Burgundy
Flower value
Showy
Flower detail
Burgandy flowers with narrow curved petals appear hidden under the foliage in the spring
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Green; Orange; Red/Burgundy
Fruit value
Showy
Fruit detail
Green to apricot to red colored fruits that resemble tomatoes appear late summer
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
S. China, Taiwan
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Spring
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Woodland
Landscape theme
Shade Garden
Garden tags
#showy flowers #showy fruits #heavy shade tolerant #border front #slug resistant #container plant #shade border #glossy leaves #deer resistant #star shaped flowers #woodland
Problems & Resistance
Resistant to
Deer; Heavy Shade; Slugs
Particularly resistant to
heavy shade

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.