American pokeweed
American pokeweed is a perennial, and it's commonly known as a survivalist plant. The plant is often referred to as poke salad, poke sallet, pokeweed, poke, among a few others.
During the first days of spring, purplish shoots of pokeweed emerge from the soil. The plant will often pop up as a volunteer, and depending on the location, pokeweed can grow anywhere from 6 feet to 20 feet tall.
The stalks and stems of pokeweed are an attractive purplish plum color.
The leaves are a beautiful green color, and they can grow as big as 14 inches long by 7 to 8 inches wide. The plant's leaves will be tapered at each end.
By summer, pokeweed begins producing long clusters of green and white flowers. The flowers turn into green berries that then transition from a light pink to a dark plum color.
Pokeweed grows flowers and berries often at the same time and will continue to grow until the first frost.
I have never pulled a pokeweed plant up from its roots, but I have read somewhere that it resembles horseradish.
Although pokeweed looks like a magnificent tropical plant, it also grows in colder climates, such as Canada.
Consuming pokeweed:
Pokeweed is poisonous from the roots up. In fact, the roots are the most toxic part of the plant. (Common Pokeweed, USDA)
However, there are numerous people who still can't resist eating the leaves from these plants, and I will admit that I grew up in a family that ate "poke salad" as far back as I can remember. None of us ever became ill after eating it.
Cooking pokeweed:
The leaves of the pokeweed plant should be picked in early spring before the plant begins to flower and put on berries.
The leaves need to be boiled in freshwater, then rinsed, drained, and boiled again at least three times to cleanse the toxins out of them. Never eat any part of the plant raw.
Improper handling of pokeweed leaves, stems, flowers, berries, and roots can cause serious side effects. As well as improperly cooking the pokeweed leaves.
Some symptoms that may occur after improperly handling and cooking pokeweed:
Diarrhea
Difficulty breathing
Low blood pressure
Migraine headache
Muscle cramps
Nausea and vomiting
Rapid pulse
Stomach ache
Sudden weakness
The benefits of eating pokeweed:
If you can get over the list of reasons why you probably shouldn't eat pokeweed, here are some of the good health benefits that pokeweed offers.
Pokeweed is high in vitamin A and also has significant amounts of vitamin C, vitamin K, iron, and calcium. The plant also contains a good amount of protein and carbohydrates.
Note:
This article was written for educational purposes only.
I recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using herbal products and any type of wild edible, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking any type of prescription medication.
Resources:
Taylor, D. (no date) U.S. Forest Service, Forest Service Shield. Available at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/phytolacca_americana.shtml#:~:text=The%20entire%20plant%20is%20poisonous,of%20protein%2C%20fat%20and%20carbohydrate. (Accessed: 29 August 2023).