All herbs should be used with care. Please consult your health care practitioner before using. To return to an herb listing click the Back button on your browser. Growing to about 18 inches high, the stem separates into two large, dark green, long stemmed, palmate, lobed, leaves. Looking almost like umbrellas to protect the large white flower on a short peduncle, growing right in-between the leaves, flowers bloom in April to may.
Spring flowers turn into crab apple size edible fruits, large inedible seed is said to be poisonous.
The roots are rhizomes, dark brown, fibrous and jointed. Cultivation Mandrake is fairly easy to cultivate using seedling transplants or seed sown in fall. Prefers rich well drained soil and partial shade. The fully ripe fruit is eaten raw, cooked or made into jams, jellies, marmalades, pies. It is very aromatic, and has a sweet peculiar but agreeable flavor.