Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Tasty, but Dangerous!

Plants & People

— Mayapple|Podophyllum peltatum|Berberidaceae, barberry family|Eastern North America ☤ —

Tasty, but Dangerous! Marker image. Click for full size.

By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), March 26, 2023

1. Tasty, but Dangerous! Marker

Inscription. The ripe fruit of mayapple is edible and tasty, but watch out! The rest of the plant, including the unripe fruit, is toxic. The rhizome was used—very carefully—as medicine. It contains podophyllotoxin, a chemical that has anticancer activity. Two cancer drugs, etoposide and teniposide, are made from podophyllotoxin. It is also used to treat warts. The Cherokee and Menominee peoples used mayapple to repel insects from plants in their fields.

Erected by Missouri Botanical Garden.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Indigenous Peoples and Communities • Science & Medicine.

Location. 38° 36.673′ N, 90° 15.559′ W. Marker is in St. Louis, Missouri. It is in Missouri Botanical Garden. It can be reached from Shaw Boulevard west of Tower Grove Avenue, on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4344 Shaw Boulevard, Saint Louis MO 63110, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the American Midwest,

in the Lewis & Clark Corridor,

in the Corn Belt,

and in the Great River Road Region.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

the Louisiana Purchase,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Snow wreath (a few steps from this marker); How Did It Get Its Name? (a few steps from this marker); All-Natural Lawn (within shouting distance of this marker); Stuck in a Jam? (within shouting distance of this

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marker); St. Louis Herb Society Container Garden (within shouting distance of this marker); Scotch Elm (within shouting distance of this marker); Utility Herbs (within shouting distance of this marker); St. Louis Herb Society Herb Garden (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in St. Louis.

By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), March 26, 2023

2. Tasty, but Dangerous! Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on July 18, 2023. It was originally submitted on April 1, 2023, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 177 times since then and 16 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 1, 2023, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.