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Let’s Leave American Pokeweed Berries, Sap, and Roots to The Birds
Despite the folklore, stay away from these enticing plants.
The pokeweed is a herbaceous, shrub-like plant that self-seeds easily. It is found throughout Eastern North America, from Ontario to Maine to Florida, west to Texas, and north to Wisconsin. We see it now in the western states as well.
The berry starts as a white flower and develops into a dark purple-black berry. When crushed, the leaves are bright green and can give off an unpleasant, acrid aroma.
These berries attract birds. The fruits are important food for mockingbirds, northern cardinals, and mourning doves. I have heard people say, “but I’ve seen birds eat them.” Note to self … We’re not birds!
Pokeweed toxicity includes flowers, fruits, leaves, seeds, stems, and roots.
Pokeweed was used in folklore medicine. People would soak aching joints in a tea-like brew. They also made a poultice from the plant to cure skin ailments. This poultice must be blanched numerous times to avoid any toxins absorbed into the skin.
The young shoots were picked for cooking in early spring as a substitute for spinach. They needed to be blanched quite a few times to remove the toxins. It was called Poke Salat, not to be…
