Pokeweed
Phytolacca americana
Pokeweed is a tall, robust native perennial with striking magenta stems and drooping clusters of dark purple-black berries in late summer and fall.
- Light
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Moderate
- Difficulty
- Easy
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Overview
Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) is a large, fast-growing herbaceous perennial native to eastern North America. It is conspicuous for its reddish-magenta stems, large leaves, and drooping clusters of dark purple-black berries in late summer and fall.
It grows rapidly to a considerable size in a single season, dying back to a large perennial root each winter and returning the following year.
How to identify it
A tall plant with colorful stems and dark berries.
- Stems: Thick, smooth, often vivid pink to magenta-red, branching
- Leaves: Large, oval to lance-shaped, smooth-edged, alternate, with an unpleasant smell when crushed
- Flowers: Small, greenish-white to pinkish, in elongated upright clusters
- Berries: Glossy, dark purple-black, in drooping grape-like clusters, with reddish stems
- Size: Can reach 4-10 feet tall in a single season
- Root: Large, fleshy taproot
Care & growing
Usually a volunteer weed rather than a cultivated plant.
- Light: Full sun to partial shade
- Water: Average moisture; tolerant of varied conditions
- Soil: Adapts to most soils; common in rich, disturbed ground
- Temperature: Tops die back with frost; regrows from the perennial root each year
- Control: Dig out the large taproot and remove plants before berries form to limit spread
- Propagation: Spread by seed, dispersed widely by birds
Habitat & origin
Pokeweed is native to eastern and central North America and has spread to parts of the West Coast, Europe, and Asia. It grows in fields, forest edges, fencerows, pastures, roadsides, and disturbed ground.
It favors rich, moist, sunny to partly shaded sites and is a frequent volunteer in gardens and along property edges, often arriving via bird-dispersed seed.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get rid of pokeweed?
Dig out the large taproot, and remove plants before the berries ripen to reduce bird-spread seeding. Repeated removal may be needed for established roots.
How big does pokeweed get?
It is a fast-growing perennial that can reach 4 to 10 feet tall in a single season, regrowing each year from a large fleshy taproot.
How do I identify pokeweed?
Look for thick, smooth, vivid pink-to-magenta stems, large oval smooth-edged leaves, and drooping grape-like clusters of glossy dark purple-black berries on reddish stalks.
Do birds use pokeweed?
Yes. Birds feed on the berries and disperse the seeds widely, which is how pokeweed often appears as a volunteer in gardens and along fencerows.
Pokeweed guides
In-depth guides for identifying, growing, and caring for Pokeweed.
Pokeweed identified by the community
Real specimens identified with Plant Identifier.
