# Odd Shrub or Weed?



## Shin (Mar 25, 2014)

I have this growing in my garden in more place than one. Here are three pictures.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Poke berry, poke salad, poke salat, same thing different names. Still, that's what you've got.


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## Shin (Mar 25, 2014)

Thanks for the identification!

Ho ho, reading up on this looks like I've got one interesting weed! 

One article says it's to hard to grow, well, it's springing up all over here.


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## dizzy (Jun 25, 2013)

I've never had any problem having it come up. Instead, it's hard to get rid of! It's a perennial and has a deep tap root.

You may want to think about getting rid of it-especially if you have children. While it is edible, it can also be toxic. People have died from eating it, and the berries can be quite tempting to children.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Hard to grow?????? Wonder where they were trying to grow it. I've spent years trying to get rid of it! I did keep one plant when I had ducks. It would grow over 20 feet tall in a year. The ducks loved the berries.


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## Shin (Mar 25, 2014)

No children here, just myself! 

Here I discover my front hedges are yews, and this back shrub is a poke, I wonder what other perilous stuff is here? Well I'll just keep on taking pictures and notes and identifying stuff. There's sumac in back, but it's staghorn sumac not the poison kind. 

If the birds love the poke berries, it may prove a good distraction for them when my blueberry plants grow up! I might keep it, might not!

I found a recipe for it -- don't know that I dare try it however!

Some of the comments on the recipe from old timers are quite amusing.


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## po boy (Jul 12, 2010)

We ate a lot of it growing up. Just boiled and seasoned. On occasion Mom would slow cook in a skillet and mix in eggs.


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## Allen W (Aug 2, 2008)

It is way past eating stage at this point.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Poke and blueberries don't ripen at the same time, sorry.

It does have some redeeming medicinal qualities. I think there's a poke root salve recipe somewhere. Yes, several recipes on the 'net. Even claims that it can cure some cancers.


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## Nyxchik (Aug 14, 2012)

Yep, all over the place here! Yes, greens are eaten in spring when they're really young. My dad likes them, not sure I've ever tried them. I do make poke root salve tho- really good stuff. ~nyx


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## Shin (Mar 25, 2014)

Poke root salve! How do you make it and what do you use it for?


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Recipe and uses for both salve and tincture:
http://www.sewisewomen.com/index.php/poke
I've never tried either but just may if I can get to one poke plant that's in bad spot in the yard.


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## Nyxchik (Aug 14, 2012)

Poke salve is used as a strong lymphatic drain and for some tumors. I haven't clicked the link but I basically soak the chopped root in olive oil for several weeks then strain and stir into melted beeswax. 
My dad tells the story of his Korean(?) sister-in-law's mother grinding the root for a poultice to put on a series of skin tumors her husband had; apparently this worked beautifully whereas the docs had no luck. 
I also make the tincture to use as a very strong immune jump-start, but I would suggest using it with extreme caution and in very small doses (a couple of drops or so), and/or with the guidance of an herbalist or other professional. It's really strong and can give you some violent reactions if you take too much. Really awesome (and abundant!) medicine though if used with care. 
~nyx

Editing to add- And I think the best time to harvest the root is around frost... I usually do so in November. ~n


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