Indian cucumber-root (Medeola virginiana)
Easy to miss, the whorled leaves at the base of this plant resemble the mayapples that grow nearby. With a green 'flower' it's easy to miss all around. But if you spot the unique flower hidden under the top three leaves, you won't soon forget it! Some plants will have multiple flowers growing from the central whorl of three leaves on top of the wooly unbranched stem. The root is white, brittle, and tastes and smells somewhat like a cucumber. It was once used by Native Americans for food, but due to its scarcity it is not recommended to dig this plant. After the flowers bloom it fruits bluish-purple berries, which birds are attracted to; the cluster of leaves below turn red at the lower half.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AboutSince 2015 we have been exploring and sharing all the amazing things we’ve found in nature. AuthorEmily is an Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist who is most often found out in the woods. Archives
December 2020
|