Each year my wife and I come to a minor disagreement: she asks me to get rid of a plant in our garden known as American pokeweed. However, the wildlife that is both local and migratory are pleased that we have left it alone.

Pokeweed, whose scientific name is Phytolacca americana, is a large and rapidly growing perennial that is native to eastern North America. It can grow as tall as 10 feet and has reddish-purple stems along with dark purple berries.

It can frequently be seen along the edges of forests, on the sides of roads, in fields, along fence lines, and in other areas that have been disturbed.

The origin of the name pokeweed is due to both Native American and English sources. The term “poke” is derived from Algonquian words such as pokan, puccoon, or poughkone, all of which referred to plants having a dark red juice that was used as a dye and for body paint. The connection with “blood” exists probably because of the deep reddish-purple color of the ripe pokeweed berries.

The word “weed” in the name is derived from the Old English term weod, meaning a wild herb, grass, or undesirable plant.

On arriving in North America, the European colonists took the Native American term “poke” and added the English word “weed.” As a result, pokeweed came to be the usual name for this common native plant in eastern North America.

Pokeweed grows rapidly; in spring the stems rise from a large, carrot-shaped taproot and can grow several feet every month. By mid to late summer the hollow, reddish-purple stems spread out to form a large, bushy plant that is about 3 to 5 feet wide.

Pokeweed blooms in the summer. Its flowers are small and pale greenish-white, growing in long clusters. By late summer, berries appear, starting out green and turning purplish black as they ripen.

Pokeweed attracts sweat bees, bumblebees, pollinating flies, other small insects and even hummingbirds. Its true value to nature becomes apparent later in the season when the berries ripen.

Although the dark purple fruits are poisonous to humans, they are an important food source for wildlife. At least 30 species of songbirds eat the pokeberries, and mammals such as white-footed mice, foxes, raccoons, and opossums also like them. When these animals eat the berries and move about, they disperse the seeds to new locations, thus helping the pokeweed to grow and to restore areas that have been disturbed.

So next time you’re weeding, consider leaving pokeweed alone. The birds and mammals will appreciate it!

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