If this is May, these must be mayapples

It is and they are. Mayapple plants consist of a single umbrella-shaped leaf on a thin tall stem. Sometime later this month, these plants will each produce one flower which will ripen into a greenish-yellow berry, resembling a small apple.

Pioneers ate the ripe apples while Native Americans used the remainder of the plants to make insecticide. The resin of the plant is being studied as a possible treatment for tumors. None of which I knew when I took this picture. I just thought it was neat how the umbrellas spread up the hillside.

Happy May.

Click on picture to enlarge. Photograph © 2006 James Jordan.

Update: This is the eve of the Elgin 1440 project, in which photographers are asked to record a 24-hour period in Elgin, Illinois. The number 1440 refers to the number of minutes in one day and the goal of the project is to capture as many minutes of May 2, 2006 as possible.

Details on this project are here. I’ll be out and about tomorrow doing my part for the project.