Podophyllum hexandrum var. chinense

Himalayan May Apple Berberidaceae

A particularly handsome form of the Himalayan May Apple, producing large, umbrella-like leaves divided into sharply toothed lobes, with pink to purplish flowers appearing in spring before the handsome fruits develop. Native to the Himalaya and western and central China, it is an excellent architectural plant for the cool woodland garden. Give it deep, humus-rich, moisture-retentive soil in partial or dappled shade, although it will tolerate more open conditions provided it does not become excessively dry.

The ripe orange-red fruits are traditionally gathered and eaten by Tibetan communities, and the mature fruit has also been used medicinally for centuries. The plant should nevertheless be treated with caution: the immature fruits and particularly the roots and rhizomes contain podophyllotoxin and related compounds and are toxic. 

Height: 40–60cm
Spread: 60–90cm
Flowering: April–May
Position: Partial or dappled shade
Soil: Moist, humus-rich and well drained
Hardiness: H6 (−20°C to −15°C)

¹ Nomenclature: Formerly treated as Podophyllum hexandrum var. chinense, and also encountered as Sinopodophyllum hexandrum var. chinense. Kew now treats the variety as a synonym of Podophyllum hexandrum. The RHS has nevertheless retained the varietal name because it represents a variable wild-collected entity rather than a single cultivar.