Pokeweed: Only eat this if...

Can you eat pokeweed? Yes & No. That's the only way to say it simply. I explore this complex plant that is both deadly and an edible traditional medicine. How can both be true? What is the analogy. Is it like aspirin, like asbestos, alcohol, or tobacco.
Read more here: stoneageman.co...
Watch the extended interview with Carina here: • Pokeweed: An interview...
A big thanks to all current and future patrons who are helping fund this science and filmmaking outreach via patreon: bit.ly/2Sfmkph
Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram: / untamedscience
We make all these videos ourselves with this gear ------------
Main DSLR : amzn.to/2Sho2qc
Second Camera : amzn.to/2B9HInR
Main Lens - amzn.to/2BaEXTk
The Adventure Camera Bag : amzn.to/2B8WYRH
The Macro Lens - amzn.to/2hHUhxW
Telephoto Lens - amzn.to/2za1FJV
Our MegaWide Lens - amzn.to/2z9KtnS
Our BEST oncamera Mic - amzn.to/2hGuSVt
The Drone - amzn.to/2z84Bqc
My Moving Timelapse setup - amzn.to/2SeCZcJ
GoPro HERO 7 - amzn.to/2ShoPHG
Our Filmmaking Book!!! - amzn.to/2zV88LS
Our music: goo.gl/roSjb7
The full video setup: kit.com/Untame...
(By buying through these links you help us support the channel)
If you want to see how we do the videos we have a channel dedicated to video Edu: / robnelsonfilms
On Social --------------
Instagram: / untamedscience (Jonas @behindthescience)
Twitter: / untamedscience
Facebook: / untamedscience
Website: www.untamedscie...
Jonas and I are creating a whole series of how-to-filmmaking videos to get you started. Here is the first video: bit.ly/2AcYvHJ and our book: amzn.to/2zV88LS
Help us create amazing, world reaching content by translating and transcribing videos on our channel: bit.ly/2Crnjgu

[@joannschloss8861]

Several years ago my daughter ate a bunch of poke berries when she was outside playing - dad was busy gardening and didn't realize it until it was too late. She was about 3-4 years old at the time. We immediately called the poison control center. They said the berries shouldn't be eaten because the seeds in them could cause diarrhea which could lead to dehydration. They advised me to give her ipecac syrup and that she would be fine. She threw up a bunch of purple and was fine shortly after.

[@memyself3579]

So, it can be used as a laxative to clean you out? I wonder if you can use it for like you can do with China berry tree berries.

[@Yoa-cc7bo]

@@memyself3579 you just have to eat them in moderation. One stalk of those a day is more than enough. Starting off you should eat 8 a day. I ate the whole stalk each day and just cleaned out my stomach and wasn’t too bad felt so much better after

[@hoperules8874]

😬

[@Almondjoi2006]

Thank God!!

[@jodysams7915]

That if she chewed the seeds

[@pharmhound68]

I've eat it all my life. Berries are good for spring tonic. Eat one the first day, two the next, three the next, then two the next then one. Berries are also used to color Port wine. It's really not that deadly. Heat breaks down tbe oxalate toxins in the leaves. Just has to be par boiled. Drain the first water then boil again. I'd rather have it than turnips or spinach.

[@MrPetrochelly]

Thanks for your experience and advices to all.

[@Dirge4july]

“Not that deadly” is not something I want to hear when ingesting something.

[@davegordon6943]

Didn't know they color port wine with it. That's pretty cool. We used it as war paint when we played cowboys and indians haha.

[@reginaweiner3817]

It has a crunchy texture no matter how many times you parboil it. There is a nutty taste that makes it more interesting than spinach and way tastier than turnip or mustard. Eggs and/or bacon make it more nourishing. If you're afraid to try it the first time, have someone who can cook it teach you. Good stuff.

[@pharmhound68]

@@reginaweiner3817 I've eat it all my life. Par boil one time. Then boil for about 20 minutes. Serve over cornbread with some hot pepper sauce.

[@ruthbeck2050]

This berry makes a wonderful dye for material and yarn. I did it and it makes a mauve color. Thank you very much we called it turkey berries. Used it foe ant bites.

[@azazelswings6194]

We called them snake berries

[@theresahermannychaparralhs2823]

I just rewatched “Into the Wild” and would love if you could continue this series about edible and non edible plants!! (And maybe a whole episode on mushrooms?!)pls

[@UntamedScience]

Perfect idea Theresa! I'll definitely be doing more of this.

[@jturtle5318]

Is that about the young man who starved to death in Alaska because he didn't know about the footbridge?

[@terrapinflyer273]

@@jturtle5318 I believe so. If I remember right, he didn't realize that the rising temps caused an influx of raging waters around his makeshift campsite (a delapidated VW Minibus) until it was too late. Starving and scavenging for food, he came across mushrooms which he misidentified as being edible. Which ultimately led to his untimely demise. :(

[@jturtle5318]

@@terrapinflyer273 in the book, his death was attributed to eating "potato seeds", which prevent the uptake of glucose from the digestive tract. If he had followed the stream less than a mile from the ford, he would have found the bridge, gone back out and lived.

[@whisperingoutdoors]

Whoa, that movie was good and very sad! When your so poisoned a grizzly won't eat ya ..... Wow

[@happygrandma4ruthP]

My mom (RIP) was from Mississippi and she ALWAYS cooked Polk Salad. The berries are not poison. My mom made Polk Salad wine out of the rip berries. She said you aren't supposed to eat Polk Salad greens when the stalk turns red.

[@thunderboi5521]

The berries have seeds in them which are poisonous

[@thomasgilbreath1250]

@@thunderboi5521 people have been eating the berries for arthritis for ages.

[@UNABRIDGED_SCIENCE]

@@thomasgilbreath1250 YES BECAUSE THEY ARE POISONOUS THATS WHY IT WORKS AS A MEDICINE. IF IT WASNT POISONOUS IT WOULDNT WORK.

[@UNABRIDGED_SCIENCE]

THE BERRIES ARE 100% POISONOUS ITS NOT A QUESTION UP FOR DEBATE. THEY ARE POISON.

[@thomasgilbreath1250]

@@UNABRIDGED_SCIENCE caps lock caps lock caps lock caps lock caps lock. Have a great Thanksgiving! 😂

[@markvann9347]

I'm an arborist by trade... I also live in the south. Poke salad is only consumed during a certain time of year. When the leaves are young and fleshy. Then they're soaked and drained in salt and fresh water overnight before consumption... Strips away the toxins from the leaves, the small amount of toxins left are good for any parisites in your lower digestive tract... I'm not just an arborist, I'm a Cherokee Indian as well. Your video on mistletoe made me laugh when you said you would intentionally propogate it on your trees... Mistletoe is a death sentence for a tree. You may be a biologist but I just see you as someone saying exactly what you read from a book. No real world experience, same goes for the people who taught you what you know. Technically, yes you're right. But also so wrong, field experience is key to understanding any field, biology, horticulture ect. A lot of things that have been taught on paper have been wrong in reality. I'm going to keep watching your channel.

[@ashyslashy5818]

hi dude any good websites on identifying plants it took me a few hours to learn about this huge 6 ft tree that the birds love growing in my garden..its out doing my whole garden.thank....

[@markvann9347]

@@ashyslashy5818 if you have a 6 foot diameter tree your yard and you don't know what it is... Well you're obviously mentally handicapped. God bless you.

[@markvann9347]

@@ashyslashy5818 there are so many to be honest. My tip would be find a site that is based around the trees in the zone you live in. Tree's and plants very drastically from one zone to another. So if you live in the Midwest or down south or up north all the trees will be different varieties. I'm from Florida and when I moved to Georgia, I had to almost completely relearn all the new tree types. That's why Florida has it's own ISA chapter, there's so much biodiversity in that state just by itself.

[@ashyslashy5818]

@@markvann9347 YA i live in southern Louisiana.but thank you.

[@chrism2714]

Funny! I eat it fairly often. It grows in my yard. A neighbor lady taught me how to prepare it. Also, I was never told the rule about not eating it after a certain time of year so I have always eaten it all summer long. It doesn't taste great boiled alone. The recipe involves parboiling; then draining and boiling again. You boil it for quite a while (needs to be the consistency of turnip greens), then you drain well. Then you scramble a couple using bacon grease in your skillet and put the drained poke weed in. Salt, pepper and that's it. All good!

[@bernicedavenport1142]

Eggs.

[@brendapettus9208]

We let the local birds do a lot of our sowing. About 10 years ago, we got our first pokeweed. It was beautiful. It looked like it would make a good food plant. So, I did some research and found lots about it's toxicity. What I found consistently was that only early leaves were safe. Never sure of what constituted an "early leaf" that would be large enough to eat, I've never tried eating any of it. But we now have several that have been seeded throughout our property and they are gorgeous.

[@UntamedScience]

The researcher said young sprouts are different than new leaves on adult plants (which are way more toxic).

[@joshconeby]

An "early leaf" comes from young plants whose berries either haven't developed at all, or haven't turned green yet (they will be tiny and white). There can be a small amount of purple on the stalk but shouldn't be very much. If the stalk is purple, or the berries are green/purple, then no leaf on the plant is edible and you should look for a younger plant.

[@krystaldaniels7940]

Be careful if you don't want them to take over your whole property! They're much harder to get rid of once the stalks turn woody. They will spread like crazy and quickly take over a pasture! I fight em every year in my horse pastures lol

[@JohnDoe-dh3pd]

Eat it during the first of fall or spring boil it twice

[@adrock4737]

@@krystaldaniels7940 Yes, thank you for saying it. Definitely can be a nuisance plant.

[@heatherdeladurantaye3121]

I have an abundance of this plant in my yard and I'm very excited about this video. I was thinking about using it as a dye for my wool I don't know if it'll work but I'm interested to try it out. 😁

[@windyhawthorn7387]

It makes a pretty dye

[@jimbox114]

My grandfather taught me about this plant. He loved finding these growing in his garden. He would pick the plant when it was about 2 or 3 foot tall and boil it. He said you had to boil it to kill the poison in it. He said he learned this from his Grandmother which was of Native American blood. We never let them get old enough for berries though.

[@tarachambers7704]

Yes, I hear the leaves when harvested as young leaves are highly nutritious and anti-cancer. I grow lots of poke on my property so I am excited to make lots of stir fries with it next spring!

[@deedeeedwinburks8614]

I love making salads with poke leaves. They're delicious when young & tender like in the spring. But, later when it grows tall.... it gets tough. What I do ... wash it , have a bowl of water with ice in it ready, then boil it for10 or 20 seconds with a teaspoon of arm and hammer baking soda... drain it... then quickly put the poke leaves in the bowl of ice water and chill for a few minutes.... drain again. Chop it up & add a few strips of diced bacon. Cook till bacon is crispy then add 4 to 6 slices of mozzarella cheese... let it melt and enjoy!! 😁👌 You can make a pie with the leaves also. Try this.... wash the leaves..... boil for 30 seconds just enough to make them soft... lay them flat... dice onions and mix with sausage or diced chicken add some caraway seeds, oregano, and some Cajun spice,... put the ingredients on the tender leaves... roll it all up.... dip in dough... and using bacon grease.... deep fry till golden brown, and enjoy! I hope you like these suggestions, it's just a couple of things I make, there's a lot more recipes I use. Edwin Burks. Thank you for your time.

[@tarachambers7704]

@@deedeeedwinburks8614 I love animals and therefore don't eat them, but I am glad that you are eating Poke!

[@deedeeedwinburks8614]

@@tarachambers7704 I don't or kill animals😁. I'm just giving you a suggestion 😊. I don't eat meat... I eat lots of berries, nuts, and vegetables, fruits. God wants us to take care of the animals not mistreat them. Fruits, nuts, and berries are more healthier than meats. Thank you kindly for your reply. Hope you have a great night sleep!!😁

[@heathgreen9275]

That's why this man is telling you its poison. It has many benefits.

[@deedeeedwinburks8614]

Well, every body's different. I mean.... I have a foster brother who can eat poison ivy & it doesn't bother him, if I just get near it I break out in blisters! But Jewell weed will kill that. What I'm saying is.... What hurts one... might not bother another. 😀. In the spring, I eat pine tree shoots and roots for vitamin C, but some people are allergic to them especially if you take certain medicines. We're all different. My foster brother died last week from the covid 19 virus. 😐

[@abysscallstoabyss55]

We harvest this in spring when the new shoots “poke” out of the ground. We also make ink from the berries. I’ve covered myself from head to foot in the berry juice…. We keep them around the house.

[@1fast72nova]

I was thinking the same thing, as kids we painted ourselves head to toe as well lol 🤷‍♂️

[@firewulfz]

When I was a kid we use to use it as “war paint” never had any bad reactions (thankfully) I do remember after using you would become a mosquito magnet. (That could be a case of correlation rather than causation though)

[@thurstonhowelliii335]

Mockingbirds love the berries. You’ll be blessed with purple bird poop on your porch, car, etc.

[@cat_daddy]

They also get crazy, I think their drunk

[@nancyfahey7518]

Where are the mockinhbirds? I haven't seen one this year.

[@colsoncustoms8994]

Elderberries and blackberries too, purple poo for days

[@cherriemckinstry131]

@@nancyfahey7518 song birds are missing in Pa. Used to hear them early morning and evening. I heard one late afternoon fir a few minutes.. now mostly when you sit outside its quiet. Honey bees still around some but hide from the UV. Our earths magnetic shield is at an all time low right now and it's easier to get sun burnt. Even plants are showing stress or early browning if leaves.

[@cherriemckinstry131]

@@colsoncustoms8994 i got bombed by a bird in our tree as I was watering the garden. Hit my hat and rolled onto my shirt..rinsed it immediately.

[@altheadeconing3566]

I use a homeopathic preparation of phytolacca or poke weed for sore throat and swolken glands.

[@trailguy]

When I hiked the Appalachian trail I found places in eastern Pennsylvania where a bear apparently was eating lots of poke berries and defecating furiously at each location (evidence looked painful) but they were apparently convinced they were eating a useful berry. Many of us hikers saw the aftermath and wondered if the bear survived.

[@buckyosheal4961]

That ain't Pope bridge it's elderberries it looks like pokeberries

[@Lenape_Lady]

Sometimes black bears use certain berries/herbs to make themselves throw up or poop out something they ingested that very bad for them. Kinda like how humans would use ipecac. And pokeberries could have an extreme diarrhea effect on bears. But trust me…they don’t eat berries they don’t know. Black bears have eaten the berries since time immemorial, they know good vs poisonous. So there is a reason they ate the poke to poop.

[@Lenape_Lady]

Also…Delaware Water Gap trail head?

[@trailguy]

@@Lenape_Lady very close to that, maybe even the same! I did my thru in 2009, btw. Southbound, so I was there in mid September.

[@OmegaProjectZero]

Lmfaooo

[@Lornicopia]

I literally let them grow to maturity in my yard. The birds love it!

[@debbiehines6803]

When I was a kid we'd cover ourselves in poke berry juice never had any problems. My mom always said they were poison so we never ate them. Our neighbor said he cured his arthritis with home made poke berry wine.

[@michaelpowers7744]

Me and my brother did that too when we were young ha

[@Rita-yw2tn]

Same here we used to act like this was our makeup and we’d put it all over our face and we did all kinds of things with it our clothes would be stained with that stuff .

[@markbates3180]

Mother cooked it scrambled eggs. No preboil, she only used leafs From plants about two feet tall or less, and usually just one time in early spring. This was in Oklahoma. Thanks for the info. Will never try it again!

[@fredeaston3988]

yes he died

[@debbiehines6803]

@@fredeaston3988 yeah, so one would think.

[@easydecoygaming5945]

We mashed it up to make the ink for Dungeons and Dragons maps. It worked surprisingly well.

[@williamrobelen8718]

My father liked to eat poke. We would take a walk in May (Delaware) and pick the young shoots similar to asparagus. I forget all the rules for when it's too big. We blanched it, threw away the water, then boiled it again and ate it with a little mayonnaise.

[@jamesrunions4553]

I've eat poke salad all my life. Here in Kentucky. You can't find it in the spring for people eating it.

[@thenathanimal2909]

Is it super effective?

[@willythewave]

@@thenathanimal2909 It`s super effective at keeping you from starving to death and giving your shit some color.

[@tomrobards7753]

Me too and I'm over 70

[@tomrobards7753]

And I actually get the craving it bad in the spring

[@tomrobards7753]

I'm just curious how did you prepare your poke

[@paulhenry8586]

I've grown up eating poke sometimes 3-4 times a week. Poke salad cooked poke greens still do till this day. In my opinion it's the best starting cooked green by far. My grandfather used to make me go and pick garbage bags full

[@gailfox6791]

I've always heard it was poisonous but I have eaten it my whole entire life. We always ate the young leaves. It's great to put eggs into it. It is so delicious.

[@rheccornbread1588]

Not sure about the medicinal effects of this plant but I know my grandma used to cook this plant and she called it poke salad trick is to only get the younger leaves the smaller ones and most important is to boil it drain it add fresh water boil it again drain it add fresh water heat it back up and enjoy. I've ate it a thousand times cooked this way still here.

[@deepsea5348]

I call them ink berrie. As a kid I whittled a quill from a feather and drew some pictures with their juice. It turned brown upon oxidizing, but it looked very striking initially.

[@mistyroller3470]

I used some around a year ago in my journal and it's still as bright as it was the day I used it! Maybe it's just not light fast?

[@user-bh3ew6ii4g]

@@mistyroller3470 I've also seen people use salt and vinegar (together) with the juice as a fixative. I'm not sure if that makes it more light fast or not though.

[@karenparham6268]

Poke salad is high in vitamins. Have eaten it my whole life. And the berries make great jelly.

[@davidmccool4008]

My mother still cooks poke salad in the spring time with some eggs and onion mixed with it and it’s some damn fine eating.

[@jeepguy5786]

I’ve been eating Polk for my entire life. It’s a wonderful edible . Boil it the drain once and then boil it again drain then add to scrambled eggs.

[@Adi-vq2ek]

Read this book called "Charaka Samhita", it'll give you sooo many plants and their medicinal values

[@thisistheaccountname]

Nice this randomly show up in my feed. We have a lot of these plants grow in our yard wildly and had no idea what they were.

[@hiramnoone]

Thanks for this. Highly interesting. I have this plant growing, flourishing actually, in my yard. I haven't tried to stop their growth cuz I think they really look kinda cool.

[@S.P.B.222]

You're a mad man and I love it! 😂 Cool vid, I grew up in South Jersey and they're everywhere, as kids, we always steered clear of eating them, but threw the berries at each for the bloody wound effect

[@michaellyczak9337]

I've eaten poke shoots in early spring - think boiled asparagus for texture, spinach for taste. I've used the berries to make ink, also a purple die I used to stain wood.

[@davezemba9109]

Dye

[@wavehaven1]

In early history purple dye was for very high authority and select Royalty, for it was very difficult to find....This, may of been the plant used ?? Just as red was used for Polynesian Royalty.

[@kristinamullen4066]

I'm planning to make dye for fabric or use it as paint.It hasn't ripened yet.I remember as kids, we crushed the berries and smeared it on my neighbor's house.We got in trouble for that.We had no idea it was poisonous.

[@michaellyczak9337]

Thanks, @ David Zemba. Really didn't register with me that I misspelled the word- also shows other things that must be on my mind.

[@ottomatic3123]

One of these popped up in my yard this summer here in California. I didn't know what it was and thought about trying to look it up; however, while viewing a completely unrelated video on KZbin I saw this in the suggestions and decided to check it out. BAM, solve my question without having to work for it.

[@kaydeedid]

My family owned a canning factory in Arkansas and we processed and canned polk greens. Was one of our best sellers

[@valterzc8187]

We have this plant in Brazil too, they grow fast and vigorously, mainly after a fire

[@KevinMooreFan33]

I've never eaten the berries I've had poke salad one time that was made by an elderly woman that told me that you only eat it when they are very young in the spring. I didn't get sick it tasted good but she did cook it. I wish I would have asked more questions.

[@ElindorBG]

I don't know. I found this in a local park and got some seeds. This year, I planted them in a pot, and now I have a poisoned bush on my balcony. I was going to plant it at my cabin but now I am doubting...

[@kentuckywindage222]

In spring we were taught to pick the young tender tops, nothing else. Boil it as others have stated drain a few times. It tasted like spinach boiled. There are those I have heard who ate fried poke. This I haven't ate or prepared like boiled poke. Things were different back then. When I would squirrel hunt, my grandmother wanted the brains. I knowingly never ate this. Hog brains, feet, and testicles were also ate by that generation. Most folks don't know it but some weeds around their homes are medicinal and edible. Take walnuts for example. You can eat the nut inside. The hull can be used as a dye. I'm getting older, but if memory serves, the hull can be utilized as a tranquilizer for fish. Even acorns are edible. White oak are the best. Being raised poor appalachian was a blessing! Learning to hunt, fish, gather herbs, raise a garden, tend to farm property and animals etc. If I wanted to truly be a "Survivalist". I would study everything I could get my hands on about my area's local Native Americans. Those are the true survivalists of North America.

[@theducklinghomesteadandgar6639]

I was taught if you plant this in & around your garden every so far from each other I think it was about 4' - 6' the roots help keep gophers and moles out your garden, away from the plants you do want to eat!!

[@lmfao5411]

I was talking about poke berry with the neighbor the other day, and this popped up. Big Brother is always listening.

[@barkmaker]

I love them. They grow so quickly and make a nice privacy screen that disappears for winter to let the sun shine through. The birds love to eat the berries as well.

[@catharticdream]

Why would they do that to the poor cats... :(

[@williamemerson1799]

There's a certain catagory of folks out there commonly referred to as inbreeders....you know, aunt mom and uncle dad. Hopefully there's a special place in hell for those schittbags.

[@robertthegrowguy7115]

Unfortunately everything is tested on animal's lipstick and so much more is actually tested on animals and cats dogs monkey seems to have a similar immunity, nuero response to certain types of chemicals found in plants and so much more

[@seasea12]

I know, right? The poor cats. :(

[@fancyincubus]

"hail science "-prof Farnsworth "

[@mavisedwards]

Don't you have to pick the plant before it begins to show purple on the stem in order to safely prepare and eat it? I'm surprised you didn't mention that. Never had the plant myself though.

[@weissblau]

I finally found a small plant and have eaten 4 berries every day since.(one week now) I feel great and I have had one symptom, great bowel movements and a very welcome weight loss. As soon as spring comes, I will eat the leaves, too. I am trying to grow it (the person who had the plant in her garden didn't want it and I planted it in my garden, I hope it survives). It reminds me of elderberry, I thin k both are very healthy, probably a defense against a certain plague going around.I like the taste of and have to force myself to stop after that. I put some in my freezer for the winter because soon the first killing frost and snow will be here. Btw., my mom in Germany, an herbalist, never took any pharmaceuticals, ate a lot directly from nature, and lived to be a healthy 100.

[@Leonardo1963ify]

My dad cooked them in scrambled eggs…. “Poke and eggs”.

[@belovedvictoriouspeople9685]

That's my favorite way to eat them.

[@beverlybalius9303]

The berries or the leaves

[@jenkinsbarbershop]

We eat the leaves with eggs

[@Sandra-kv4vf]

I have them at my place in Florida! I love the plant itself for it’s beautiful colors year round! Thanks for the show really enjoyed it.

[@MouseyBelle-wx4dd]

I had an uncle who was in the military dosed with agent orange. My grandmother boiled the leaves but kept the water. Not sure what she did with it but my uncle always took a hot bath in it. He was able to move. Once my grandma passed, no more Polk baths. He drew up and got to the point he was bed ridden and on oxygen. He passed in 2006

[@chrisgivens9419]

University of Michigan or Michigan State did a study in using the dried berries for pain treatment (so I was told by a lady that says she helped in the study). I found that it work incredibly. No more than 10 Berries a day. I took 5 in the morning and 5 later on if I needed.

[@supermombelle9750]

Yes! I've never tried them dry, just fresh Spring through Fall - just worked my way up to a few in the AM & PM, don't chew the seeds & it's a fine natural 'medicine' in my personal experience.

[@divenursok]

I picked and froze a bunch of poke berries at the end of last summer. I’ve been taking them for a while with no adverse effects. I need to experiment more with dosage first my arthritis. You must swallow only! No chewing. Peace

[@snaggletooth14]

You gotta go out in the evening an’ pick you a mess of it.

[@MetallicAAlabamA]

I am 42 years old and here in north Alabama, we've boiled the top tender leaves several times, then cook it with egg whites. Cook up cornbread and bacon. It's actually an amazing meal. But we've always been taught to only pick it in early, early growth, and like I said. Only the very top 2-4 newest leaves. I stress the boiling part. You boil it until the water is no longer with a green tint. Or very, very light. And you definitely do not pick it when the stalk has berries, nor when the stalk begins to turn red. As long as it is tender, and the plant is maybe 1ft tall or less. We've had it for years, and have it once a yr. The berries will ruin a pair of jeans and an expensive shirt quick lol.

[@jjoy2918]

Growing up in the south we ate poke all the time. The trick was to pick it at the right time and we usually cooked it in with scrambled eggs... never got sick

[@numinous2506]

Out of nowhere, an insanely gorgeous pokeweed PhD.

[@timhandley7760]

Pretty, but, deadly, if you don't know what you're doing!

[@jimyost2585]

About ten years ago I made a three gallon batch of pokeberry wine (13% alcohol, same recipe as elderberry wine) for my brother who has pretty bad arthritis, but after it was finished making (after six months) I tasted it and I knew there was no way he'd drink it, so I got rid of it.

[@williamemory6007]

I grew up eating poke and still do. You eat the leaves of young plants( under 3 feet) and they're sort of like a spinach. The stalks at this level are edible but more bitter. Boil or steam and add butter or a little vinegar and it is quite tasty. You never eat the berries. My grandfather used to freeze it and we ate it all winter too.

[@douglaswright5689]

My Grandpa and I used to go the creekside to harvest this stuff. He boiled it for quite some time and then scrambled it. Pretty good. He also harvested early spring, no berries. That was over 54 years ago.

[@nancyweis2577]

We go out in spring and cut the young shoots when they are 6-10 inches tall. we blanch them a couple of times in boiling water and eat them. They taste just like asparagus. I've read all of Euell Gibben's books and learned this from him.

[@hunnybunnysheavymetalmusic6542]

Heh! I grew up eating poke! I still have some in the freezer from 2 years previous, waiting for me to cook it up and make it ready for eating.

[@gingerromas9193]

Thank you. I've lived in my home for 27 years. And last year I found this plant growing in my back yard. My yard is only 25' x 42' so I would've noticed it. Well thank you for you info.

[@KissmyBasss]

It grows in my yard and we ate the leaves and small stems several times last yr. I rinsed it several times, boiled and rinsed it 2x. We had it in eggs and in beans.

[@UntamedScience]

Awesome!!!

[@erkmasfield9641]

For 15yrs I was the only person I know to be exposed to a plant that left me with burns so painful and strange .. everyone thought me crazy. My arms looked like a very bad jelly fish encounter. Back then NOTHING could be found that explained this condition. A friend asked for help this summer and his 2nd and one 3rd degree burn inspired another search. Neither of us did anything different or noticed anything while doing random yard work. No one in Oklahoma that I talked to knew anything and never heard of this type injury. I think it may be: HOG WEED.. Please do a video about this plant !

[@AuthenticChronicVision]

Brings a whole new meaning to the song "Poke Salad Annie".

[@V.U.4six]

My brain read this as Pokéweed

[@chrisabernathy1082]

I live in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina and I grew up eating poke salad. We would fill a big brown grocery bag with the young small leaves. Then my mom would boil them, pour out the first boil water and then re boil them again in fresh water, drain and rinse in a strainer. Then add them to a frying pan with butter, 12 eggs, salt and pepper and scramble the eggs. It was delicious 😋

[@chrisabernathy1082]

But of course we would drink from a water hose or stream, eat wild mushrooms. And as kids would play in the woods and feast on wild foods all day from chestnuts, black walnuts, wild strawberries, black berries, mushrooms, or even shoot and skin a squirrel and cook it in the woods.

[@TheWadetube]

The berries are bitter but they are the best blow gun ammo for blow gun fights. The purple red with black seeds makes a cool looking wound and they go a long ways and only sting a little unlike paintballs or AirSoft pellets. I have swallowed a few with no noticeable side effects. They are too soft to shoot in sling shots but I have used them as shot gun ammo in paint ball guns. The dye washes out.

[@carfvallrightsreservedwith6649]

Old timer medicine for arthritis. 8 berries a day till relief. I've done it. No side effects experienced.

[@redmadness265]

When the plants die and dry out, they turn into big light hollow sticks that are fun to play with

[@ohitsnat]

Dude I am SUPER grateful for this video!! So awesome! Thank you!

[@kellyoneal5498]

I eat it every spring. It's delicious. It used to be commercially grown and canned in the South. Only the young plants less than 10" high, never any parts of the roots. Blanch twice in boiling water two minutes and discard water then boil again, drain- salt, pepper, butter. Green Deane at Eat the Weeds discusses at length. Mature plants and roots can be very poisonous though.

[@janedoe9421]

I'm not sure of the process, but boiled and strained berries, the juice is awesome for rhumatoid arthritis.

[@jucadvgv3449]

tastes fantastic! my city has a poke salat festival every year and a cooking contest with a prize.

[@anthaltie]

we called them ink berries on my grandpas farm in PA. they told me to never touch it because they make a mess

[@mybuckhead]

I have these in my back yard. The fresh leaves in the spring are very good to eat. Boiled three times before eating, unless you need a good laxative.

[@arcburn3364]

Gosh I'm old. While in high school in the 60's or Jr. high, I remember a big hit by Tony Joe White called Poke Salad Annie. I didn't know Elvis sang it.

[@rainbowrose1076]

As a kid I loved grabbing the berries and squashing them in my hands but of course not knowing alot about them I always washed my hands after because for some reason I remember seeing something on tv that said bright colors were associated with danger so I thought the plant dangerous yet still played with it

[@travismoore7849]

I grew up eating young polk stalks that just came up. It taste like Okra. But do not eat it when it turns purple or gets over eight inches tall some people may say ten. It has to be harvested very young. The stem should not be fibrous. And should be very tender in early in the year around spring or when it first starts coming up. Then they are cut and fried in cornmeal and flour with salt and pepper.

[@someonesluggs9210]

What was the plant identifying app that was used ? I need the name of it please

[@UntamedScience]

INaturalist

[@deepowers6001]

I grew up eating poke greens and my grandfather made poke berry wine for his arthritis so it can be made eatable

[@lakelush9742]

I have picked and eaten poke salad my whole life. We were taught by my dad and grandpa to only pick fresh sprouts and only eat the leaves. Bring to a boil for 3 or 4 minutes poure this water off add fresh water again bring to boil for 3 or 4 minutes repeat one more time to be sure. pour this water off and enjoy.

[@CatboyChemicalSociety]

Saponins are about as toxic as eating laundry soap. We all remember the tide pod challenge and yea one tide pod is still worse than pokeberry root soup

[@TheUndyingSkitarii]

I remember ss a kid me and my brother would always be around those, we'd just mush them with out hands all the time. Now that tust your telling me they are poisonous now I'm starting to question how i was never really ill from them.

[@apocalypsemvp]

I’m just gonna put this out there because I’m not seeing anyone talk about it. The most bizarre thing about these plants, IMO, is their bright hot pink color. The first time I ever saw one of these things I was amazed, it completely stood out against all the other trees and shrubs in the woods. The video barely does it’s color justice.

[@tammyandersonparker3068]

Polk Salet is my favorite tasting green. Mom would give us paper bags to fill in the spring from the woods behind our house. You pick it before it flowers and makes berries which are probably toxic👍🏾. It's a myth you have to boil it more than once. I often saute some for adding to scrambled eggs. Healthiest food there is.

[@tammyandersonparker3068]

We live in Arkansas 😍

[@tritchie6272]

My Grandma always told me to cook poke with plenty of grease. It's cooked for food in the Appalachians. But it has to be cooked.

[@JustElia420]

In TN we have Poke Salad several times a year. I don't make it but my kids grandma does. It's actually not bad and seasoned well it can be great. Little ham, some other veggies cooked well. Never touched the berries though. That's still normally a no no.

[@jamesgravel7755]

Welt. Thank you. My two year old son was looking for blue Berry’s today and of coarse they are all gone and I seen this plant. And was like welt what is it. After watching this I went a chopped it down so he didn’t sit there and eat handfuls when I was watching. He’s a fast lil guy and we have a big yard.

[@jamesgravel7755]

Wasn’t*

[@bigburkefamily7]

But will you sign the book with pokeweed ink? I seem to remember making some kind of soap with pokeweed when I was a child in the mountains of Virginia.

[@karynbanksley7110]

When I was a kid making mud pies, these berries are what I used to make “blueberry pies.“ I’m just glad I knew not to eat them even though nobody told me that they were poisonous.😅

[@22werwerwer]

We called the musha berries and used to squish them and play with them. We always used a stick not our hands.

[@Aviatorbill]

We always ate it in the spring. Poke Salad, wild onions, dandelions were all good fare. Mom would cut the young stalks boil them then fry it with eggs. Thought it tasted a bit like spinach. This was in Eastern Oklahoma. We were always told not to try raw and never after it started blooming.

[@mizzpoetrics]

We eat the leaves like greens! Never the berries tho! Also never got sick from eating this plant either! Perhaps it's the way we cook it, or perhaps it's a different variant? I'm up North, btw!

[@earlystrings1]

People pick and eat pokeweed greens when they are very, very young. Foragers say pick before the stems turn red. Even so, it's traditional to boil the greens in three changes of water. Pokeweed preparation is probably something you want to learn from an old timer as the mature greens are quite toxic.

[@carlacarnes3212]

Harlan KY Poke Salad Festival. Here in KY I've eat it my whole life. Just has to be cooked correctly and gathered right

[@bshytle]

Been eating poke salat since I was a kid.i make it just like collards after I cook and rinse it a few times.

[@bobbyduke777]

There was a song in the 60's called "poke salad Anny" Thank you I just found out what that meant

[@stephenbrand5661]

When this video was uploaded there were already several videos on KZbin of people swallowing multiple poke weed berries and claiming them as a cure for arthritis.

[@capnkirk933]

We had poke berry fights and never got sick, hands stained for days ,it doesn't wash off

[@johnharris8191]

A friend of mine in Maggie Valley, NC said he was highly allergic to poison Oak and had it so bad his Grandmother boiled Poke Berry roots and dobbed it on him. He said it burned like fire but the next day there was no sign of the rash and has never broken out with it again. If it was a lie, he told it, not me. LOL

[@UntamedScience]

Interesting. That's a good anecdote. I'll log that in my brain to research in the future.

[@SirGolfalot-]

Good video. Just discovered Poke Weed this year in my yard. I'll try to keep one plant and pull the rest as I find it

[@magandsons]

I feel like this is the plant that smells like almost rancid peanut butter if you try and pull it. The stalk breaks easily so its hard to pull. We had a few really stubborn plants in a decorative bed in Maryland and the HOA was constantly complaining about it.