![]() ![]() One of its newest uses is in the field of solar energy generation. It has even inspired a song or two along the way. Keep in mind that online sources of medical information often urge strong caution in using Pokeweed medicinally, or simply say “Don’t do it.” Some folks still swear by eating a small number of berries to prevent arthritis, but you didn’t hear that from me. It has been used for inks and dyes ( here’s how you can make your own!), making a beautiful red color, and is being studied for potential treatments for cancer and various viral diseases, among other ailments. Also, since the berries are a very tempting looking bright red, you might want to think twice about having this plant in places frequented by young children, because I remember what I was like as a kid. Blanching in changes of water eliminates most of the toxins from young leaves and stems, but caution is called for. Their effects can range from embarrassing to very nasty, including diarrhea, vomiting, internal bleeding, rapid heartbeat, convulsions, and much more, up to and including death. They are usually concentrated in the roots, berries and seeds and include an alkaloid (phytolaccine), a resin (phytolaccatoxin), and a saponin (phytolaccigenin). The toxins in Pokeweed, depending on what source you’re working from, range from deadly to mild. Too bad, too, because they’re big and juicy. Just remember to blanch them in water first! Twice! They are sometimes used in making pickles. Some just saute them in butter, with salt and pepper. Some also cook the young stems like asparagus, to which their flavor is compared, or cut them into rounds, like okra, coating them with cornmeal and frying them. Some, in Southern style, saute the greens with bacon drippings and crumbles, alone or mixed with other wild greens. Young leaves and stems in the spring, before any red has crept into them, are harvested by legions of foragers and boiled in at least two changes of water, discarding the water afterwards. Pokeweed is one of the signature edible native plants of America, with a strong role in Native-American, African-American and Southern cultures and cuisines. ![]() At least one online gardeners’ forum has had a lively debate on the merits of this plant in gardens and its control. ![]() There are chemical treatments, if you’re really desperate, including glyphosate. We pull it or chop it in places where we don’t want it, but this might be only semi-effective, since it will try to come back from the root each spring. It seems to generate a couple more plants each year, and we will soon have to control its spread. It showed up on its own, probably from the hard little seeds passing through a bird and being deposited with a handy little packet of fertilizer. We have several healthy specimens in our yard, mostly around the edges in the fence or up against the house, and we appreciate it because birds find it irresistible. Pokeweed has its passionate defenders, implacable enemies, and some in between, who might wish it wasn’t there, but have no qualms about using it for its good qualities. For another, it’s persistent and somewhat aggressive and difficult to eradicate. With all this going for it, what’s not to like? Well, for one thing, it’s poisonous. ![]()
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