Species of flowering plant in the family Phytolaccaceae
"Pokeweed" redirects here. For other uses, see Pokeweed (disambiguation).
Phytolacca americana
Conservation status
Secure (NatureServe)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Plantae
Clade:
Tracheophytes
Clade:
Angiosperms
Clade:
Eudicots
Order:
Caryophyllales
Family:
Phytolaccaceae
Genus:
Phytolacca
Species:
P. americana
Binomial name
Phytolacca americana
L.
Synonyms[2][3]
Phytolacca decandra L.
Phytolacca rigida Small
Phytolacca americana, also known as American pokeweed, pokeweed, poke sallet, pokeberry, dragonberries, pigeonberry weed, and inkberry, is a poisonous, herbaceous perennial plant in the pokeweed family Phytolaccaceae. This pokeweed grows 1 to 3 metres (4 to 10 ft).[4] It has simple leaves on green to red or purplish stems and a large white taproot. The flowers are green to white, followed by berries which ripen through red to purple to almost black which are a food source for songbirds such as gray catbird, northern mockingbird, northern cardinal, and brown thrasher, as well as other birds and some small non-avian animals (i.e., for species that are unaffected by its mammalian toxins).
American pokeweed (lat. Phytolacca americana)
Pokeweed is native to eastern North America, the Midwest, and the South, with more scattered populations in the far West where it was introduced.[5] It is also naturalized in parts of Europe and Asia. It is considered a pest species by farmers.[6] Pokeweed is poisonous to humans, dogs, and livestock. In spring and early summer, shoots and leaves (not the root) are edible with proper cooking (hence the common name "poke sallet"[7]), but later in the summer they become deadly, and the berries are also poisonous. It is used as an ornamental in horticulture, and it provokes interest for the variety of its natural products (toxins and other classes), for its ecological role, its historical role in traditional medicine, and for some utility in biomedical research (e.g., in studies of pokeweed mitogen). In the wild, it is easily found growing in pastures, recently cleared areas, and woodland openings, edge habitats such as along fencerows, and in wastelands.
The first word in its scientific name, Phytolacca americana, comes from the Greek words phyton (plant) and lacca—the scarlet dye secreted by the Kerria lacca scale insect. The second denotes this plant as native to America. The common name "poke" is derived from puccoon, pocan, or poughkone (from an Algonquin name for the plant).[8] Its berries were once used to make ink, hence its other sometimes-used common name, inkberry.
^"NatureServe Explorer 2.0". explorer.natureserve.org.
^The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species, retrieved 15 August 2015
^Flora of China online, retrieved 15 August 2015
^"Phytolacca americana (American Pokeweed, Common Pokeweed, Garnet, Pidgeon Berry, Poke, Pokeberry, Pokeweed, Scoke) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox".
^"Tropicos | Name - Phytolacca americana L. Var. Americana".
^Oneto, Scott (August 15, 2018). "Pokeweed: A giant of a weed!". Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California.
^"Pokeweed: A giant of a weed!". ANR Blogs.
^"Phytolacca americana L. American Pokeweed Family" (PDF). New York Botanical Garden.
and 27 Related for: Phytolacca americana information
Phytolaccaamericana, also known as American pokeweed, pokeweed, poke sallet, pokeberry, dragonberries, pigeonberry weed, and inkberry, is a poisonous...
) Phytolaccaamericana L. – American pokeweed. North America (syn. P. decandra L.) Phytolacca australis Phil. – Western South America Phytolacca bogotensis...
feature Phytolacca acinosa can be confused with Phytolaccaamericana, Phytolacca latbenia or Phytolacca polyandra. P. americana P. polyandra Phytolacca acinosa...
Phytolacca octandra, also known as inkweed or red inkplant, is a herbaceous perennial plant in the pokeweed family Phytolaccaceae, originating from the...
Poke salad (aka poke salat or poke sallett), a dish prepared using Phytolaccaamericana Poke (disambiguation) Polk Salad Annie This disambiguation page lists...
similar-looking Phytolacca acinosa by its fused carpels, and from Phytolaccaamericana by its more dense and erect inflorescence. Phytolacca japonica (in...
Redweed is a common name for several plants and may refer to: Phytolaccaamericana, native to North America Suaeda australis, native to Australia Red weed...
Astragalin is a chemical compound. It can be isolated from Phytolaccaamericana (the American pokeweed) or in the methanolic extract of fronds of the fern...
safe for human consumption (compare preparation of poke sallet from Phytolaccaamericana). Other factors influencing potential toxicity include variations...
History Press. ISBN 978-1-4671-5277-8. Traditional Baking: The Foxfire Americana Library (2). Foxfire Fund, Inc. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. 2011-09-06...
in the genus Potyvirus. It is known to infect American pokeweed (Phytolaccaamericana), in which it causes mosaic symptoms. "Taxonomy". talk.ictvonline...
several unrelated plants: Any plant in the genus Phytolacca (pokeweeds) Especially Phytolaccaamericana (American pokeweed) Dianella nigra (turutu in Māori...
Pokeweed mitogen is a mitogen derived from the roots of Phytolaccaamericana. It functions as a lectin and a mitotic stimulus for the division of lymphocytes...
somniferum Opium. Widely used analgesic, native to the Old World. Unknown Phytolaccaamericana Narcotic and toxic when the root is consumed. Yohimbine Pausinystalia...
Caffeic aldehyde, a phenolic aldehyde contained in the seeds of Phytolaccaamericana Coumaric acids o-Coumaric acid p-Coumaric acid m-Coumaric acid Phenylpyruvic...
triterpenoid saponins. Oleanolic acid can be found in olive oil, Phytolaccaamericana (American pokeweed), and Syzygium spp, garlic, etc. It was first...
Caffeic aldehyde, a phenolic aldehyde contained in the seeds of Phytolaccaamericana This set index article lists chemical compounds articles associated...
of Phytolaccaamericana (American pokeweed). It is present in various parts of a large number of plants, such as the seeds of Phytolaccaamericana. Caffeic...
to: Amelanchier alnifolia, native to North America Duranta erecta Phytolaccaamericana, native to North America Rivina humilis This page is an index of...
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