Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum) is a relative of barberry and goldenseal found in the eastern half of North America. Plants grow 6 to 18 inches tall in patches, producing a single stalk capped with an "umbrella" of one or two deeply indented leaves. They grow in perennial patches or colonies all arising from a single shared stem. There may be thousands of plants in the colony, sometimes resembling a miniature forest. The colony itself must be at least 12 years old to begin to flower. As these colonies grow quite slowly, it is possible that larger ones may be well over 100 years old. The plant blooms with a single small white flower that produces a single yellow, mushy berry, the only part of the plant that can be eaten safely in moderation.