May Apples….edible?

[Frankiegirl]

Hi all, being a newbie living in a rural area now I discovered this past spring May Apples! They smelled beautiful and their flower was really pretty.

little did I know they have a fruit that looks something like a little lime.
Anyone have experience with them? Are they edible? I read an article online and some said they’re poisonous and another they were delicious. Jury is out but they look really neat.

 

[Lemon-Drop]

I’m guessing your talking about eating them yourself, and not giving them to chickens? Correct me if I’m wrong.

I’ve read that in moderate amounts the fruit is good, and delicious, but the leaves and foliage are toxic. The fruit can also be toxic if consumed in very large quantities. I’ve never tried them though.

 

[Frankiegirl]

Thanks and yes I was considering for myself just as a curiosity. I have wild raspberries on the property and a few other native things that I am discovering. If I can do something with them I hate to see them go to waste.

Have a terrific day!

 

[ladybrasa]

Very brief google search indicates that only very ripe fruit is edible in small quantities. Otherwise very toxic. Has been used medicinally. Haven’t come across what a “small quantity” is …

 

[CluckerFamily]

I have them in my perennial garden. I’ve never eaten them. I recall my Grandma talking about eating them but I can’t recall when she said they were ripe (which month).

 

[Frankiegirl]

I searched a couple of articles and came up with the toxic result and some people saying they taste like a pineapple but like you said…very ripe.

I have them all over the property so I thought someone one here might know something about them if they were a hidden treasure I would take advantage of them….sounds like I will likely leave them be or at least cut one up to learn more about the plant.

Thanks for the responses.

 

[ladybrasa]

I’d be curious to try one I guess, but it’s one of those things like mushrooms that if you don’t know exactly what you are doing, learned from a reputable source, probably safest to let it be. But yeah, it’s also a little hard to see something possibly useful go to “waste” …