# Not elderberries



## Steve in PA (Nov 25, 2011)

These are growing wild in my yard. They get about 6' tall in the parts that I let grow wild. The berries turn from white to dark purple.

What is it?


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Poke weed, aka, poke salad.


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## Steve in PA (Nov 25, 2011)

Wow, toxic too. Thanks. I think I'll be getting rid of these even though some birds eat them.


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

You are going to have to really, really dig.
Their roots are suprisingly monstrous in size.


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## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

Unless you have small children around who would be tempted to try them I wouldn't worry about it.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

They can grow to be the size of small trees. I had one that was 15 feet tall and almost that wide. But it was taking up too much of my garden. I spent all winter dumping leaves and sawdust on it. Didn't come up this year. Saved me a LOT of digging!


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## oth47 (Jan 11, 2008)

Poke root used to be worth a little money per pound,not really worth digging IMO..don't know if it's saleable now or not.


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## gunnar wordon (Jun 13, 2012)

pokeweed, elders grow in an umbrella format.........


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## Sonshine (Jul 27, 2007)

We eat poke salat. I grew up eating the leaves. Tastes like spinach.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Sonshine said:


> Tastes like spinach.


Cooked spinach? Gross! I'll just keep pulling it as weeds.


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## Badger (Jun 11, 2010)

The new stems, before they turn red, peeled and sauted in butter taste like asperagus. We eat a ton of them in the spring, don't care for the leaves too much, except prepared like spinach ( change the water a couple of times) then add carmelized onions and add to an egg white omlet with provelone. 
I can eat it pretty good like that.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Goodness no!!! Don't get rid of that plant! It is some of the most tasty greens and most nutritious there is...far better than spinach in all ways. (I don't parboil them; however, I don't use the liquid.) Just don't eat the berries nor any leaves with red on them.


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