Read the best tips to Control Pokeweed from your property and protect pets and children from consuming it unintentionally.
Throughout history, Native Americans have included various components of pokeberry weed in medicinal concoctions and culinary dishes. In the Southern regions, it is not uncommon for individuals to include pokeberry fruit in pies. However, due to their toxicity, caution is necessary when handling pokeberry berries to prevent adverse reactions. In this article, you will learn how to control pokeweed from fields.
What is Pokeweed?
Pokeweed, also known as pokeberry (Phytolacca americana), is a native plant that thrives in disturbed soils like fields and pastures. It has robust growth and can reach up to ten feet (3 m). Regrettably, it poses a danger to livestock, with all its parts being deemed toxic.
This perennial plant features a sturdy red stem and elongated oval leaves, sometimes reaching lengths of up to ten inches (25 cm). It produces green flowers from July to September that eventually give way to grape-like clusters of berries.
Although the fruits have historical uses in traditional medicine and pie recipes, they contain compounds that can provoke unpleasant physical reactions.
NOTE: Removing pokeberry plants is advisable to prevent accidental ingestion by children. While small amounts typically don’t harm adults, the plant contains several toxic compounds. The roots are the most potent, yet all parts of the plant are generally unsafe for consumption. The toxicity of the leaves increases as they mature, although the young foliage has been used in salads for generations. To render the leaves safe for consumption, they must be boiled twice, with a change of water each time. Berries are the least toxic part, but it’s prudent not to ingest them without proper preparation.
How to Control Pokeweed
Effective control of common pokeweed typically involves manual removal, which requires digging deeply to extract the entire taproot. Just pulling the plant is usually ineffective as it leaves behind roots that can regenerate.
If no other action is taken, prioritize removing fruits from the plant before they disperse. A single plant can yield up to 48,000 seeds, capable of remaining viable in the soil for up to 40 years. Despite the toxicity of the berries, birds show little concern and readily consume the fruit and spread the seeds wherever they excrete them.
TIP: While some experts support the use of toxic chemicals, we advise reaching out to your local extension service or a nearby garden center to identify the safest organic product for managing pokeweed.
Read: Poisonous Plants That Look Like Lambsquarters
How to Use Pokeweed Berries
If you have pokeweed growing on your property, you could experiment with using the berries in a pie. However, a safer alternative use for the fruit is as an ink or dye. When crushed, the berries produce a significant amount of juice, historically used to color lesser-quality wines. Additionally, the juice can dye fabrics to a rich crimson or fuchsia hue. Nevertheless, it’s important to prioritize removing the berries to prevent the further spread of the weed.