pokeweeds
Poisonous plants, dark berries
Pokeweeds are tall perennial plants native to North America, with large leaves, white flowers, and dark purple berries.
The young shoots are edible when properly prepared, but the mature plant—especially the roots and berries—is toxic.
The plant is also called pokeweed, poke, or pokesalad: Grandmother used to cook poke greens every spring.
Recurring each year
- taprootMain descending root
- racemeUnbranched flower cluster
- drupesSeed-containing pit fruits
- berriesSmall fleshy fruits
magenta · stems · leaves · herbaceous · deciduous · native · wildflower · nightshade
Capable of causing death
- berriesSmall fleshy fruits
- rootsUnderground nutrient absorbers
- toxicCapable of causing harm
- alkaloidsNitrogen-based organic compounds
saponins · oxalic · dangerous · mature · ingestion · harmful · caution · gloves
Color-imparting material
- magentaVivid purplish-red hue
- crimsonDeep purplish-red shade
- inkWriting fluid
- berriesSmall fleshy fruits
staining · natural · fabric · textile · coloring · Civil War · letters · historical
perennial
Recurring each year
berries · magenta · stems · leaves · herbaceous · deciduous · native · wildflower · nightshade · invasive
poisonous
Capable of causing death
alkaloids · saponins · oxalic · dangerous · mature · ingestion · harmful · caution · gloves · raw
pigment
Color-imparting material
berries · staining · natural · fabric · textile · coloring · Civil War · letters · historical · juice
greens
Leafy edible plants
- boilingLiquid vaporization temperature
- blanchingBriefly boiling then cooling
- potherbPlant cooked as greens
Appalachian · Southern · foraging · spring · shoots · harvesting · young · tender · cooking · traditional
birds
Egg-laying flying vertebrates
- songbirdsPerching birds with musical calls
- wildlifeUndomesticated natural organisms
- robinsRed-breasted songbirds
mockingbirds · seeds · dispersal · habitat · hedgerows · woodland · edges · meadows · fence rows · native
pokeweedssalad greens
Edible raw leaves
edible greens · lettuce · spinach · arugula · mesclun