Satan's Apple

Mandragora officinarum

Satan's Apple Habitat and cultivation

Satan's apple - perennial on stout, parsnip-like root that divides into two and resembles a pair of legs. The large, oval, fetid-smelling leaves grow to 30cm ( 12in), lie on the ground and have wavy margins. The five-petalled flowers appear on separate stalks and are whitish-yellow and tinged with purple. They are followed by round orange fruits that resemble a small apple.

Mandrake is a poisonous, hallucinogenic plant that has been associated with magic since the time of the early Egyptians. The fruits were found in Tutankhamen's tomb and the root was a favorite ingredient of witches' brews. The plant also had a reputation as a love potion and in the Old Testament it was employed as a fertility charm. In Anglo-Saxon herbals, mandrake was reputed to exorcise demons from those who had become possessed. The most famous legend surrounding the plant, however, concerns the perils of uprooting it. When lifted from the earth, the mandrake would utter a piercing shriek that meant certain death, so an unfortunate dog was commonly entrusted with the task of pulling it. During the reign of Henry VIII, mandrake's human-shaped roots were thought to bring prosperity and changed hands for large sums.

The pain-killing properties of mandrake root were employed by the ancient Greeks, and in the Middle Ages mandrake wine was used as an anesthetic during surgery. The root is a soporific and was formerly used as a sedative to ease rheumatic pains, convulsions and nervous disorders. In high doses, however, mandrake is a drastic purgative and can cause delirium. Today, mandrake is no longer used medicinally.

Avoid. This plant is poisonous.

HABITAT AND CULTIVATION

Satan's apple is native to south-eastern Europe, Israel and Jordan, and the Himalayas. Satan's apple grows on poor, sparse, sandy soils.