Pokeweed
June 12, 2015
Print
EmailPhytolacca americana L. Phytolaccaceae (Pokeweed family)
Life cycle
Erect, branched taprooted perennial.
Pokeweed plant (left) and young pokeweed plant (right).
Leaves
Alternate, hairless, broadly oval, lance- to egg-shaped with smooth to slightly wavy leaf margins.
Pokeweed seedling.
Stems
Smooth, succulent, herbaceous, predominantly reddish and branched multiple times without a central stem, reaching up to 9 feet in height.
Flowers and fruit
Greenish white to pink flowers yield erect to nodding, hanging clusters of conspicuous, deep purple to black berries when mature. Berries are poisonous, and berry juice will easily stain.
Mature pokeweed berries.
Reproduction
Seeds. Often dispersed by birds.
Print a PDF of this page: Pokeweed
Other Documents in this Series
You Might Also Be Interested In
-
MSU Product Center helps Michigan food entrepreneurs survive and thrive throughout pandemic
Published on August 31, 2021
-
Michigan Sea Grant approaches Great Lakes issues with a statewide outlook and a strong local focus
Published on August 23, 2021
-
MSU Extension to undertake three-year, $7 million vaccination education effort
Published on August 17, 2021
-
Inspired and in-person: face-to-face programming returns for Michigan 4-H
Published on August 25, 2021
-
Fairs and 4-H: the tradition continues in 2021
Published on August 31, 2021
-
MSU researcher awarded five-year, $2.5 million grant to develop risk assessment training program
Published on October 13, 2020
Accessibility Questions:
For questions about accessibility and/or if you need additional accommodations for a specific document, please send an email to ANR Communications & Marketing at anrcommunications@anr.msu.edu.