I'm in Kansas and have this awesome "weed" that keeps spreading. It has a hollow stem and the clusters of berries start from a beautiful cascade of tiny white flowers that then turn into a cascade of dark blue/purple berries. It grows to about 5-6 feet each year. I'm trying to figure out what it is. It grows very fast, spreads easily and the birds love them. I have blue berry bird poops all over my yard from it. But I still love it. Anyone have any ideas?
Pokeweed -- Phytolacca americana.
Thank you so much ViburnumValley! YES! You are exactly right! I just plugged it in Google and it is exactly my awesome weed/wildflower that I have growing in my backyard. I appreciate your knowledge.
Blessings to you and your Garden(s)!!!!
I've seen pokeweed mentioned in conjunction with some really bizarre bird behavoir... I don't know if the berries were responsible, but take a look at this thread anyway, because you'll ROFLOL. http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/548658/
I, too, have always thought Pokeweed was quite a handsome plant, and so useful (berries for wildlife, berries make a beautiful dye, edible greens etc). I have a large one in my backyard right now that I refuse to pull up bacause I'm enjoying its beauty. Having said that, though, if you have young kids or pets, you might want to get rid of it--several parts are toxic, especially the roots...Some birds and animals eat the berries, others find them toxic or bitter. The leaves are edible for humans, but you should cook them twice, changing the water each time, before eating. Just a little trivia....
Tried to attach a funny webpage regarding Pokeweed, but could only attach it as text. Google "canning pokeweed" and you will get the full webpage about the last company to sell canned pokeweed. Seems its no longer a hot item.....!
This message was edited Jul 24, 2007 2:54 PM
I found this article from the U. Arkansas Extension Service, http://www.arhomeandgarden.org/plantoftheweek/articles/Pokeweed.htm
Interesting! But I think I may stick to dandelion greens....
Yes!! Thats the one--how did you attach it? Did you save it as a web page or what--I couldn't attach it no matter what I tried. Very, very funny article about times gone by....!
I just copied and pasted the URL... Sometimes links just don't post right the first time... but if you hit "preview" on your post, you'll have a chance to check the link before it's posted.
Great article! Thanks for finding it. :-)
Just an FYI: The plant is also known as Polk Salad, like the song "Polk Salad Annie".
Here's a couple recipe...if you're interested.
http://recipes.chef2chef.net/recipe-archive/46/246689.shtml
http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0,poke,FF.html
I live in Oklahoma and it grows wild here too. I think it a beautiful plant. BUT it can become invasive.
Does anyone know if it gorws in Southern Texas.
Don't know about Texas but it grows wild here in MS and the deer love it too. We had it growing at the top of a hill in our side yard while we were building our house but the deer stayed after it so much they finally killed it all.
Critterologist - I just spent the last hour or so laughing and wiping tears from my eyes... thanks so much for linking that thread. After I cook dinner and clean it up, I'll reward myself with the continuation of bizarro-bird, Mr. T. I'm going to look for poke salet on my next hike and then look up for crazed birds. I just happened on this thread and so glad I did :)
Ok, more things to laugh at--I was reading a horticulture/gardening magazine today, and they asked some experts what they would recommend people plant in their gardens.....I kid you not, someone recommended Pokeweed!
And, yes, its THAT Pokeweed, same one we've been discussing. And I quote (well, I don't quote, but I'm close)..." with a profusion of tropical greenery all summer and beautiful dark berries from late summer to fall....this is one tough plant." They did, at least, also discuss the fact that your neighbors will laugh at you, but suggested you simply tell them its a "native plant", that being so in vogue at the moment.
Anyone planning to grow Pokeweed ON PURPOSE? Seed sources were listed with the article........(now thats the part that really made me laugh..)
I don't get it
Well, I didn't either, but hey, weren't almost all plants (except hybrid variations, of course) once "native" weeds? So maybe in 10 or 20 years Pokeweed will be a top selling nursery offering...I'd plant it. I like it. Of course, I'm not PAYING for something that grows in my yard for free! That was the funny part, to me....
Now I get it... but I'm sure there are people who want it for whatever reason who may not have it popping up everywhere in their yard. I get dozens every year from having a bird feeder.
Someone posted a picture of a naturally occurring variegated one on gardenweb, I think. It's just a matter of time now...'compacta'...maybe a prostrate form...
I have all kinds growing wild by my wild garden down by the cedar tree but I have never seen a variegated one looks pretty, even it it is a weed lol Still don't think I would want one in a flower bed though, ugh! Wonder how that happened?
Anyone planning to grow Pokeweed ON PURPOSE?
Well i had one a year ago and this year probably have 50 or so. they just come up everywhere. They are very pretty. i even have them grow into the grapevine (never has grapes), but the pokeweed makes it look like the grapevines are producing! lol. the locals are always out hunting for some type of forage (asparagus, mushrooms, garlic). I just hope they don't pick my "grapes'. Last year i had a "neighbor" ask for my apples and said he would pick the ones off the ground and feed to the deer. but i only had maybe 3 apples last year from 4 trees. this year i don't have any. He informed me the year before i moved in that the trees were just loaded with apples. hmmm no grapes, no apples. beats me. it must be something i've not been doing!lol
I've had problems with my fruit trees too. Weird weather we've been having. Both of my apple trees had like next to nothing on them this year too.
i'm glad i'm not the only one Equil. the web worms ate all the foilage off of one and the one right next to it was barely touched.
Web worms with discriminating taste buds? Just kidding. What you described is actually not uncommon.
No "cyberstoning" Equilibrium...I'm with you on the Pokeweed--what a useful and beautiful plant. With its generous geographic distribution, though, I'm just amazed there are folks that DON'T have it and need to BUY it....guess that's you, huh? I let it stand at the back of my property, in my area reserved as "natural." Wow, I sure wish I had some of that variegated one. That is just amazing. Don't like the form, but the leaves and berries would look so great tucked around the yard....
Yup, I had to buy it. Isn't that pathetic? Oh woe is me. Everyone else's cup runneth over except me with Pokeweed. One thing though, it may be native but too much of a good thing can be too much of a good thing. I've got quite a few natives that I whack back to allow for more diversity. Pokeweed can be one of those plants that can need whacking back.
Usually what raises the eyebrows around here is the Poison Ivy. So many people destroy that plant that if you are in a position to do so, it's nice to leave some standing for migrating birds. I can totally understand if one doesn't leave any standing though.
Having had severe outbreaks, head to toe, as a child; repeated outbreaks from a free-ranging dog as a teen; and three severe outbreaks this summer of poison ivy, all I have to say is, yes, Equilibrium, I totally agree with you.
Like Pokeweed, I think Poison Ivy is one of our most beautiful, hardy and useful plants. I just wish which ever previous owner eradicated it in my yard had marked it as poison ivy. I keep getting it from somewhere, and I swear there are no plants. Must be dead plant debris I'm getting into. So I go through weeks of misery, and don't even get to enjoy the beautiful, glossy green leaves and gorgeous berries.I've only found one living plant, and I had to kill it--it was in the path leading to the only route through a gate. If people are taking the time to propagate Pokeweed, wonder why no one has ever figured out how to eliminate the irritating substance in poison ivy. It would be a beautiful landscape plant, wouldn't it?
Good question. I suspect there's a reason for that "irritating substance" that a few hours of research might pull up.
I read an article in the NYTimes this summer about how conditions were right this year in the metropolitan (NJ, NY,Conn.) area for not only a bumper crop of poison ivy but a particularly potent crop. I pulled out a number of small plants this year and I haven't had any in 10 years. Three of my neighbors got rashes - 2 so severe they needed emergency attention. I'm glad you can keep some going for the wildlife Equil, they use it on the beach in one of the State Parks (Sandy Hook) for erosion control of the sand dunes. Of course it's clearly marked. Yotedog, you probably know about about "Tecnu" that washes the oil off your skin and Armor (sp.?) to protect you from getting the rash?
As for buying Pokeweed Equil, you could have taken any of the 5 million plants I removed or the next 5 million I will be removing this fall. Six plants you're starting with? Hmmm. I left 1 plant up for only part of the season last year. The birds just bring all those berries to the birdbath and like magic millions of plants.The pokeweed is a beautiful plant and I'm sure if I had space I'd leave it alone.
This message was edited Sep 30, 2007 8:26 AM
Oddly enough, I don't think Pokeweed is all that attractive. I seriously only bought it for the birds.
We've got bottles of that Tecnu in the kitchen and on the shelf where we keep meds. That Tecnu is really great. Glad you mentioned there are products out there. Don't know about Armor (sp?) because I've never heard of that product but anything that can help is good to have on hand.
Hi Equil,
I corrected my spelling of Tecnu on the previous post thanks to your correct spelling. That's what I get for posting in the wee hours. The other product, to protect before exposure, is called Poison Oak N Ivy Armor by the same company that makes Tecnu. When I googled it someone questioned the effectiveness of the"Armor". I would try it if you are very sensitive to either.
I only know the correct spelling because we buy the product regularly. Before that, people resorted to using Dawn Dishwashing detergent to try to get the oils off of them. We have Tecnu by the sink in the mud room and my husband takes it with him when they go camping. Most scouting packs and troops are taking it with them these days because it certainly does help if a kid gets into poison oak, sumac, or ivy. Don't quite know if it works or not if anyone gets into Wild Parsnip which is by far the worst and contact with that plant makes contact with the other three look like a mosquito bite by comparison.
Since this is coming up and it's fall, it should be mentioned that if anyone is removing any of these plants- PLEASE DO NOT BURN THEM. Bag them and throw them out with your regular garbage. When they are burned, the oils vaporize and can be carried on wind currents. Get some of that in your lungs and you might end up in the hospital for a very long time. My husband burned some Poison Ivy several years ago and ended up with a trip to the ER because of a blistering rash on his legs- right where the wind was blowing the smoke as he piled more branches and PI on his burn pile. He was miserable for a very long time.
Since Wild Parsnip is the worst and since so many people think it's a pretty wildflower and since it seems to be growing everywhere these days, here's a thread others might want to read which has photos of the plant-
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/623148/
Yep, I second the No Burning rule--that's how I got the head to toe, inside the ears, nose, toes etc case of PI as a kid....two weeks of complete and total misery...Never forget it...Neither will my Dad--he was the guy that did the burning....
On a happy note, I'm sure all of us will be happy to hear that, yes, they have proven that you gradually build immunity to PI. (I'll spare the details, but for the scientists in the bunch, I believe it has something to do with IgE mediated reaction). The only problem is...you have to be exposed, just as with germs, for your antibodies to get to work. And it takes a number of exposures to build immunity. After being in the midwest as a teen, I lived mostly in places that had no PI, or where I wasn't exposed. That would explain the several bumper cases I've had this year--what immunity I had, had waned. That also explains why some folks are either affected more severely or just more easily than others.
They've got a vaccine for skeeter bites these days. Works for about 9 months but if you're doing wetlands work, you'll be on your knees bowing to the folk who came up with that. Hmmm... wonder if they can come up with a PI vaccine of some sort?
I want them both--Skeeters and PI! Right now!!
Talk to your doctor about the mosquito vaccine. I think that's readily available now.
You are out of luck on a PI vaccine. I don't think any such thing exists but you could always try going to an Allergist or an Immunologist. One of them might be able to cook something up for you.
And what about people who are immune to it? I've sat on the stuff before, not realizing what it is, and never been bothered. Even now, working in my parents woods, I grabbed a hold of this big thick wood thing hanging from a tree and was swinging from it before my dad got down. I asked him what on earth it was, Poison Ivy he said. Nothing, nadda, zip. Dad isn't bothered by it, mom is. I think for my moms dad, if it was in the woods, he'd get a rash. Somebody should of seriously told him not to burn the stuff. He always burned it, then had a head to toe rash.
The woody portion of the vine isn't nearly as problematic as other parts of the vine and then there are times of the year when coming in contact with the vine will cause some people more problems than other people and then... there are people like YOU who have no problems at all with the THING.
Burning is what Y chromosomes do. Males of all ages like to burn. They burn everything that isn't nailed down around here except... Poison Ivy. That they all know how to identify now.
Well hmmm....my mom walked by the woody part and then she got a rash ;(
Hey! I like to burn too! You don't want to know how I used up the gas I couldn't haul back from TN....now that was fun! Stupid, but fun! lol....
h please do tell!
And we want pics!!
No pics, sorry. I had an old goat wagon that got broke when I decided to fall a tree. The tree didn't land where it was supposed to, and instead, landed right smack dab on my poor goat wagon. I wasn't paying anybody to haul that poor busted up goat wagon back to IL and I sure wasn't taking up valuable space in the back of the pick-up, just on a hope I could find somebody to restore it. I also had some scrap lumber that we didn't need to be hauling back home either. So, I decided I'd do some burning. I had lots of newspapers and catalogs to burn too. I poured gas over it all and lit the match, and it went poof! It kept wanting to burn out, so I'd lean in and pour more gas into the flames, which made the flames go high up and it also started that plastic nozzle thing on the gas container on fire. So I was blowing that out too. It's start to burn out again, and I'd pour more gas over it once again and once again I'd catch the nozzle thingy on fire and have to blow it out. And of course the flames were heading towards the sky. About 10 minutes into my burn, I heard fire trucks and I was a hoping and a praying that they weren't heading towards me. My luck, a neighbor thought the house was on fire and called 911. A huge sigh of relief when it went right on by, on the road before you turned into the subdivision. Now mind you, I had about 5 gallons of gas and oil I needed to get rid of. I had quite the time out there. I just wish I'd of had some marshmallows and hot-dogs to cook! I burned like that for over an hour. Pouring gas, flames shooting high in the sky, nozzle on fire, blowing it out.....kids don't do this at home. Now I've been around gas and oil all my life, so I knew what I was doing. My husband on the other hand, was a little irritated at me, thinking I could of burned myself or blew up the gas container, but I knew exactly what I was doing. I called my dad to do a "I told you so" and when I asked my dad what he'd of done with the extra gas and knowing he had things that needed to be burned, I got the "I told you so!" I was after....lol. Dad did agree that perhaps I should of waited till my hubby was home, but I wanted that fun all for myself. Dad also got quite the chuckle about the nozzle catching fire each time I poured more gas on and me blowing it out. My hubby never would of let me do what I did. And yes, the hose was 10' away from me. All in all, I had a riot that day....;D
