Identification of Pokeweed ( and toxicity/edibility)

One of the most commonly posted plants for identification is Pokweed(Phytolacca americana). This is likely due to it's stunning interesting berry clusters. Pokeweed is famous for being one of the most consumed toxic plants. With correct preparation toxins can be removed to a level that makes the plant safe to consume.
This native plant was used medicinally by native americans and was also likely consumed as a wild edible. Pokeweed is an important food for certain wildlife that are not affected by the toxins.
www.eattheplanet.org - Wild Edibles
#wildedibles #foraging #pokweed

[@beebop9808]

I've eaten that plant all my life long as I can remember. Growing up back in the 60's-70's there was a lot of people ate it. An old man that was our neighbor turned me onto eating the berries when I was 10 years old. He would stand in front of a plant and eat several hand fulls of them. I've eaten piles of them myself. Can't honestly say that eating them ever helped or hurt me in any way. I never heard of anyone ever getting sick from eating the plant and certainly never heard of anyone dying from it. It could be purchased canned on supermarket shelves back in the day. Lotta hoohaa about nothing best I can tell....

[@ValorWarrior5258]

My mom, dad and my son have as well as both sides of their families have grown up eating poke leaves, or “sallet” as everyone calls it. We always wash anything we bring in from the garden, so naturally, we wash these leaves,. They like them scrambled with eggs. My son craves them every spring, amd he is now 35 years old! Really crazy we feed on so many “ toxic “ plants and animals, yet nobody ever dies from it. Even mushrooms ppl have growing everywhere have always been used as a scare tactic. Fear is so easily spread by ppl who try to “ dictate what we should BUY”.. like pharmaceuticals and Manufactureres. Poke sallet used to be sold all the time, by Allens, a company who still does mustard, turnip, amd green beans!!!! This is crazy! It isnt poisonous enough to keep a major manufacturer from “ selling” the greens to eat, yet poisonous enough you shouldnt pick and eat your own! Kind of like network news telling us we shouldnt read emails for ourselves, but rely on what they tell us the emails say! SMH! Ppl are so easily gullible with fear tactics, it blows my mind! Eat and drink everything in moderation, using common sense!!

[@1957rayn]

You've spoken my mind. You can't talk to brainwashed sheeple!

[@leeroyexcavator9149]

Ate the leaves from this when I was a kid cooked like spinach. My mom also made sweet pickles from the stem when it was under 2ft tall. And my great uncle would eat the berries as a cure for the chills but no more than 2 berries my dad said.

[@EatThePlanet]

very interesting about the berries especially. I love hearing first hand experiences. There is so much more to research about herbal medicines but there's so little money in it that they can't fund large studies.

[@rebelthrukansas0]

There is plenty of money in it, but pharmaceutical companies would fight that to the bitter end as they would lose billions per quarter if something natural would be scientifically proven to cure or treat people. They would spend billions just to pay people off to discredit any claims of a plant working. Like the saying goes “there is more profit in treating than curing”.

[@mamitasarah]

Just found a branch with green berries on it and freaked out a little when I read it was poisonous. We have two little doggies and one eats whatever she finds! Thank You so much for the information!😃

[@onceANexile]

Not toxic

[@jwp2166]

Trying to figure out the love of a plant that can kill you if you don't prepare it correctly. It cannot possibly taste so good that one would risk their life to eat it.

[@awesometopics1988]

Not sure why u don't have a larger following awesome info here thanks

[@EatThePlanet]

Thanks. It's growing daily. I noticed with youtube the larger following you have the easier it is to get more. for example the first 1k are much harder then the next 1k

[@onceANexile]

I just had the leaves in my breakfast. I've had 2 dozen Barry's. It is not toxic.

[@Vector_Ze]

There are more than a dozen species of plants, all commonly called pokeweed or milkweed. The species share the trait of toxcicity. And, they also share the fact that Monarch butterfly larva feed exclusively on them.

[@EatThePlanet]

This isn't quite true. It is true that the monarch butterfly larvae feed exclusively on a plant called milkweed (asclepias syriaca) but that fact is not shared with any other species of similar common name. Also the milkweed is not closely related to the featured plant in this video called pokeweed(Phytolacca americana).

[@brendabutler-oc3yu]

I just noticed this growing in my back yard. Glad to hear monarch love them.

[@user-cd3mi1gw7m]

Thank you for the great information.

[@zhuofanzhang9974]

Not sure why I got this recommended, but it finally clicked when you said "poke salad"

[@debojohnson5354]

I like the way you present info. Thx for the knowledge sir

[@EatThePlanet]

Thanks, It means a lot. It's more awkward than people think talking to the camera. I am not a self-judging person by nature but it's hard not to when you see and hear yourself on camera.

[@sikoticjaux]

Pretty sure I have this plant growing in my yard. There are two over 6 feet and the berries are starting to ripen. And there are 2 smaller ones. One is growing threw a crack in the concrete. I am kinda worried now they are toxic since I have dogs in the yard and a 3 year old running around near them.

[@derekreece237]

Grandpa build up a tolerance to the berries. He said it was good for arthritis.

[@mekahterry9151]

I didn’t know that you had to boil it. We have always picked it in early spring and then we fry it and eat it that way. The berries we’ll make homemade paint with it or use it a dye when tie dyeing.

[@EatThePlanet]

thanks for the first hand experience. I don't really have any first hand experience with this plant other than making paint with the kids from the berries. I was extra cautious explaining how to prepare it based on what I read. Apparently there are other methods.

[@karlschwinbarger105]

There is one of these, I think, growing on a tiny fenced in lot between an old brick building and something new going up here in Frisco on Market Street, couple blocks from Van Ness. I noticed it first early last Fall and took a bunch of pictures and today again and used inaturalist to help me identify it. With all these half foot long black berry things all over it, it was eye catching. Wish I could upload a video I took of it.

[@EatThePlanet]

cool, sometimes the berry clusters really look striking. depends where they grow.

[@KawakebAstra]

One of best videos on Poke🙏😎🍃birds planted in half shade & it colonized hate to cut it ..scared to eat it ..everyone repeats same info..but, what’s exact toxin boiled out & nutritional value afterward .. I’m researching but?..& poke berry jam.. I’ve eaten 2 raw berries w no bad effects.. wanna’ eat but cautious like U🍃♥️🕊

[@EatThePlanet]

I think it's one of those things that if your family has done it a certain way for years then following their procedure probably works fine. That being said I don't think the old time poke salad preparers know the exact science. I think they just have a specific procedure that works.

[@brendabutler-oc3yu]

Thank you

[@madonnakilpatrick8804]

Thanks for the video! We bought a house that had one of these come up in an ornamental garden and I've been trying to figure out what it is.

[@ritahall2378]

Medicine

[@atlasdrum]

These are delicious when prepared properly. I grew up eating this.

[@mr.t6142]

Great video... very helpful in identifying. Thanks!

[@emmettnelson7260]

Right now is spring. I am going to look for this plant because I am curious what it tastes like. I wonder if it's as good as ramps and fiddleheads. The plant's toxicity is slightly scary though.

[@EatThePlanet]

I haven't seen it come up yet in Connecticut. I don't do anything with this plant other than use the berries for dye. The kids have fun painting on rocks and stuff with it. I know a lot of people do eat it though. Way to much prep for me.

[@fxsrider]

I have three in my backyard. One is as big as the one shown in the video. The other two are quite a bit smaller. I'm going to see how large one will grow left alone.

[@ChicquitaMBCrawford]

The birds have planted so much of this in my yard. I try leave about 2-3 of them around, since they love it so. But the more I trim one of them back, the more and faster it grows, locking my path. Smile I am considering raising bees, but read somewhere that at some point it wasn't allowed to eat the honey of bees who pollinated from this plant because it was so toxic. Is that true? Should I try to destroy as many as possible before I start beekeeping?

[@EatThePlanet]

That's interesting about the bee's. I have not researched that specific topic. If i end up looking into it I'll let you only what i see. Let me know if you look into it to.

[@stonerubber]

It seems if that were the case, that there would be frequent accidental exposure/poisonings from eating honey, but I've never heard of this. After all, a beekeeper can never be sure what species of plants are growing within a mile or two if their hives. Are there plants with poisonous pollen? I often wonder about unknown pesticide exposure to foraging bees and its impact on honey. Herbicides/pesticides ultimately spread to all organisms. They do not stay where thy are sprayed.

[@wizardss3684]

Do you think the nutrients get leached out along with the toxins? You gotta boil it so much, I’ve just always wandered. @Eat The Planet

[@EatThePlanet]

probably some of them. There isn't really a way around it yet.

[@peanutgallery0142]

What about getting a rash from touching it...

[@raphlvlogs271]

where do you submit "plants for identification forms"?

[@EatThePlanet]

I usually use facebook plant identification groups. You're getting answers from random people so you have to confirm the answers yourself but usually you eventually get one person giving you the right answer.

[@andano4055]

I go to INaturalist! It helps me a good bit!

[@ronhanish]

Look s like the bug's don't mind eating the leafs. What about the berries.

[@AnnaWardell]

My puppies ate young leaves of this plant,. 2 are dying. please help, Vet who really care I lost faith on, I called them, I have been doing hydrate therapy along with salt water to induse vomiting. Blood in stool.

[@Timenaught]

I cut this down in my yard with the weed eater, mostly because I didn’t know what it was so my brain went straight to “weed”. Smells terrible. Wonder if it’s toxic if you inhale the fumes when you chop it down.

[@amandakennedy1936]

I have a plant like this in my yard but the flowers are upright. Like a candelabra. My id apps keep calling it Polkweed but I haven’t been able to find any more helpful info regauridng up right flowers

[@andreavandekleut6379]

very useful thank you !!

[@reggieb9897]

Anyone need any.. come and get it. VA has tons of it. Never tried it. Always pulling it bc of the dogs. Thanks for the info.

[@jameslaubacker2171]

Barry only ,,, Start out not more than. 2 barriers... keep active.... Very upset to the nerves.... Stick with morning glory....

[@jameslaubacker2171]

Vary ripe berry,, skous in moth. Maybe up to. 6 Barry... Be careful this stuff is strong medicine....

[@barneyburger2641]

Man I've eaten poke salad a long time and that is NOT POKE SALAD

[@EatThePlanet]

This plant is commonly called poke salad. there may be a difference in local names of things. if you can let me know what species you're eating I'd be interested to know what it is. or you can send me a photo at [e-mail]

[@awesometopics1988]

Im subscribing btw

[@EatThePlanet]

Thanks, I subscribed to you too.

[@allendean9807]

How toxic is this to free range chickens?

[@EatThePlanet]

good question. I did a little quick research and it looks like it is toxic to chickens although they may nibble at the leaves with no negative side effects.

[@playlistshift]

This the one the ink was made of?

[@EatThePlanet]

I'm not sure. I have heard you can use the berries as a dye. I tested it out once and it worked well.

[@playlistshift]

@@EatThePlanet Olá from Portugal

[@jameslaubacker2171]

Good for kidney cleansing.. Blater.... 2,, 3. Barriers. Only

[@ronhanish]

I saw dude eat berries on a vid

[@jackiesicilian5720]

I read that the Berry juice is very toxic even if it leaches into your skin you need to be careful and should not be around children or pets.

[@EatThePlanet]

Definitely better safe than sorry. I for one don't experiment with this plant. Although for the record from what I have seen I think there is a misunderstanding. I think the case is that the RIPE berry juice is mildly toxic but the seeds are more toxic. I know the berry juice was used to color wine at one time. Almost all sources agree that the roots are the most toxic part, then the stems and leaves. I generally agree with anyone that treats plants cautiously though, we don't always know all the facts.

[@EC-dz4bq]

@@EatThePlanet I doubt it leeches into your skin, where I live you cant get rid of it. Very normal to go mow or weedeat and come out solid purple. The berries stain way more than normal berries (dye?) I assume if it was too dangerous I would have heard something about it. I live in the Appalachian mountains, where it is commonly ate in poke salad.

[@EatThePlanet]

@@EC-dz4bq I believe you're correct. I just don't like going around telling people to be less cautious.

[@EC-dz4bq]

@@EatThePlanet Fair enough!

[@pokemaniaclou6944]

you should practice and prepare more fore your videos its hard to keep up with you going back and forth and repeating the same facts over and over and dont say as many ums or try not to say it at all other thasn that good videos:)

[@EatThePlanet]

Thanks for the critiques. You are probably right.

[@beckyhartman5692]

@@EatThePlanet I didn't notice any of these

[@Shywolf2]

Also try not to touch it for too long, or you’ll get some rashes that are very hard to get rid of, and spread like a wildfire.

[@bicyclic5404]

How are you not dead

[@EatThePlanet]

because I don't eat things that I haven't identified with certainty and learned to prepare correctly. And even then I don't eat a lot at first, I eat a little more each time to see if I have any negative reactions. I haven't eaten pokeweed. It's too much preparation for me, there are better things around to forage in my opinion.

[@stonerubber]

he avoids processed food : )