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Pokeweed
(Phytolacca americana)
Our local children call it Stainberry,
which is an accurate name!
Other names include Inkberry and Pigeonberry.
This is a native plant!
For once I can write that this is a native plant AND its seeds were taken back to Europe !
Early settlers found this to be a good plant to use in the spring as a vegetable. Many people still look forward to the young Poke shoots in the spring. In the Southern states you can find the young tender spears for sale in the markets in the spring.
THE ROOT AND SEEDS AND THE OLDER SUMMER LEAVES ARE POISONOUS!
Looking down on a young Pokeweed plant you can see a careful arrangement of the leaves.
Why do you think the plant patterns the leaves like that?
The young berries are still green and have a little white hat of petals still.
The root is tough to dig out once the plant gets some age on it.
I have one by my porch that has been there 5 years now in spite of being
hacked down every year because it is in the way of our oil filler.
(This photo from TAMU Image Database)
Study Pointers:
- Did you have any ideas about why this plant arranged it leaves in the rosette? Hint: Photosynthesis requires sunlight.
- Look at different plants with the answer from above in mind. What about trees?
- Take a survey. Show a picture of the Pokeberry berries to people.
Record how many of them recognize it and how many do not.
What do they call it?
Do they or their family use it for anything?
Do you think, based on the information on this page, that your survey results would be different in Connecticut and in
Georgia?
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This site designed and maintained by Emma Craib
who welcomes your
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