Pretty Poisonous Potherb Poke

American Pokeweed, or Phytolacca americana, is attractive, poisonous, and a popular edible potherb with a long list of historical uses and a special place in my family history. Curious yet?

Pokeweed in full glory on a street median in Catonsville.

Ripe purple Poke berries.

This particular native perennial is in it’s full glory this time of year. As with many plants, I find myself negotiating car ride photo pauses with my passengers. “OK, we’ll stop here for 5 minutes to let me take pictures. Is it a deal?”

It grows up to ten feet tall in sun, shade, and part-shade, bearing white-to-pink blossom clusters and bright purple berries. This particularly fine specimen stands tall in a well-mowed median. It’s actually quite close to the cherry-tree vandalism on Edmondson Avenue.

This bush was in full sun, and the leaves showed some of the stress of the hot days we’ve had lately, with brown edges and spots. But the bright sun seems to have brought out the most vivid reds, so it’s a tradeoff.

The leaves themselves are alternate, entire (smooth) and not compound. The plant itself, once mature, springs from a hardy taproot about four inches thick and a foot long. Each winter the plant dies back to that root and then regrows in the spring. A mature plant has red in it’s stalks and stems. Some plants vary in color.

Green Poke berries springing from the white flower clusters. Complete with ant friend.

The plant starts sprouting clusters of delicate white-to-pale-pink flowers in late spring. These rapidly mature into green berries.

Inkberry

A single drop of Poke juice on paper. What a lovely color!

Did you know that Colonial Americans used it to make ink? This has earned it the sobriquet Inkberry. Some people have used the juice, while others ferment it first or use vinegar to keep it from getting moldy in storage. The ink starts out a vibrant pink, but darkens to brown over time.

Some fiber artists have produced vibrant lasting reds and pinks when dying yarn and fabric by using pure acetic acid as a mordant. I see a number of recipes for ink that cite vinegar, but none that call for acetic acid. I bet the ink would hold its color better with acetic acid!

And yes, vinegar has acetic acid in it, but if you get the pure, powdered stuff, it’s much stronger.

Wildlife

Poke has a special place in the Maryland ecosystem. Pollinators include hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. Next, all sorts of wildlife eat the berries — from birds, which appreciate the relatively high protein content, to possums and raccoons, both of which enjoy some Pokeberry snacks. Deer also appreciate the big leafy meal (Tom Butzler, PA Extension Service).

Poke flower buds. This plant was in the shade and retained more smooth, healthy looking leaves compared to the one in full-sun. It also had access to more water.

When you plant — or more realistically, allow— Poke to grow on your property, you are supporting all of this wildlife! It can be attractively incorporated into a garden, since it is showiest in late summer and fall when most other plants are turning brown in the heat (NYTimes). It can be pruned into various shapes, or left to grow naturally. The bright purple berries and deep red stems at the end of the year are particularly eye catching! It seems to look best with a good supply of water, so consider that when planting.

I didn’t know this, but apparently while this plant is native to Maryland, it is wildly invasive and problematic on the West Coast, especially in Oregon!

Poisonous Potherb?

How can this be both poisonous and a food? That’s crazy!

Well, in order to safely eat it, you must pick the immature plant before the stems show even the faintest red. It is small. Discard the roots, and then cook. Bring leaves to a heavy rolling boil at least three times, discard the water each time, and rinse. This cooks out the poison, and makes a delicious boiled green rather similar in flavor to asparagus. To make soulfood, people then refry it with bacon.

If you eat the mature plant, don’t cook it correctly, or eat the roots or berries or flowers, you will get sick and possibly die. So don’t do it!

One of my great-grandfathers made a good living by farming and selling the flowers and produce at Lexington Market in Baltimore. My father grew up working with him. In the 1940’s and 50’s, his summers were spent picking poke by the armful in a vacant lot near his house and selling it at the market. Apparently he would carry so much at a time that his entire torso would be hidden by leaves. Folks used to call him the “walking shrub”. He made lots of money!