Mayapple blossom

Barberries have a bad reputation among many botanists, but, it turns out, there are good barberries and those deserving of badness. The problematic ones are the Asian invasive species that were brought here, mostly to grace gardens, and promptly escaped to wreak havoc in the woods by out-competing the natives. However, there are native members of the Berberidaceae clan that both grace the more open woodlands and make an easy transition to shade cultivation. The Mayapple is found naturally throughout the Northeast and Midwest, but not, as near as I can tell, our particular area. Perhaps the problem involves the plant's typical means of spreading: Box turtles eating the fruit and pooping out the seeds in new places. Box turtles, alas, are increasingly rare in the region. Since we couldn't wait for a seed-carrying reptile, we got our Mayapples from a friend who brought their plants from their cabin in Pennsylvania. The transplantation worked easily and now we're graced with some of the prettiest May flowers... and "apples"... in creation.