Barberry Family Mayapple flower close-up with raindrops
Barberry Family Height: 12" - 20" April 22, 2005 Only plants with 2 leaves will have a flower (this plant has just one leaf because it got mowed off!). It blooms in April and the green fruit, "apple," appears in May or June. I photographed this one along the Wildflower Greenway Trail in Oak Ridge. Mayapples often grow in large colonies. All parts of this plant are poisonous to pigs, cattle and humans, they contain the toxins alpha- and beta- peltatin, podophylloresin. The ripe fruits are not poisonous, but too many of them will cause diarrhea in humans. Perennial Where seen: Great Smoky Mountains NP, University of Tennessee Arboretum, Frozen Head SP, Warrior's Path SP, Ijams Nature Center
Barberry Family Height: 8" - 20" April 3, 2005 This plant was named for Thomas Jefferson. The leaves look like green butterflies! "Diphylla" means "two-leaved." Twinleaf is an early bloomer, go out in late March or early April to see it. I found these growing along the Northridge Greenway in Oak Ridge. The plants grow well in limestone soils. They have an odd seed pod that develops later in the year. Perennial Where seen: Oak Ridge Greenways, Norris Dam SP, Warriors' Path SP, Ijams Nature Center
