Poke Weed Berries

Poke berries seen in Hopkinsville, KY, about 2013.

Pokeweed berries are so pretty that I hate to think of them being poisonous to humans. But the National Forest Service urges caution:

The entire plant is poisonous causing a variety of symptoms, including death in rare cases. The berries are especially poisonous. Young leaves and stems when properly cooked are edible and provide a good source of protein, fat and carbohydrate. Regional names for the plant include poke, poke sallet, poke salad, and pokeberry. The fruits are important food for mockingbirds, northern cardinals, and mourning doves. The name “phytolacca” means red dye plant. (Source: American Pokeweed)

The weeds took over my garden this summer. I had a "thing" removed from my shinbone in late May, and I had to keep my leg elevated for weeks afterwards so it would heal. By the time I was mostly normal again and returned from a summer trip, my garden was full of weeds. I was too lazy to fight them, in the 90° weather of July and August. My tomato plants were sickly anyhow, and so were my cucumbers -- not worth trying to save. The peppers were doing well enough with weeds as near neighbors.

When the weather finally cools down, I will clean it all off, and I'll try again next year. The 2020 weeds will probably be terrible after so many weed seeds dropped into my garden soil in 2019.

One of the things that popped up in my weed patch is a poke plant. It's about six feet tall now and loaded with berries. I've decided why I've let it grow -- not because I'm lazy, not at all!  It's for my mockingbirds, cardinals, and mourning doves!