# I want to find some Poke Weed



## fffarmergirl

I just moved back to KS after being in MI 23 yrs and one of the things I'm excited about is finding pokeweed. Can anybody tell me where to look for it and about how big it would be right now?


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## Clem

I don't know about your zone, but in zone 7, it's on average closing in on a foot high now, some over 2 ft, and it is everywhere. If you pull it up, it'll regenerate from the pieces of root left. It starts out as a couple green shoots sticking straight up, I rarely notice them until they're about 2 inches tall, which is probably the overnight growth.


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## Ellendra

Ask around. Most people would be glad to be rid of it.

If you truly can't find any, https://www.strictlymedicinalseeds.com/ has seeds. Just be aware that most states have restrictions on planting invasives.


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## motdaugrnds

WOW I'm with you there. Poke Salet is my favorite green!

In this zone 7a it is just now starting to show itself. If you can get your local agricultural agent to come out, he/she can point it out to you.


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## Shin

I'm in zone 6a in PA, and and I think I have found a few young plants, about the size of dandelions at this point. 

There should be plenty coming up here, as last year they were everywhere.


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## Declan

This is one of those times I have to remind myself that not everybody lives in the same growing conditions to resist the temptation to smack em in the noggin.

Poke weed is a prolific weed in my area. If you want some, all you have to do is wait a week and it will be coming up somewhere within 100 feet of the house. Honeysuckle and morning glory are the same way. I cringe when I hear one of my cousins from Boston talk about planting morning glory seeds or ordering honeysuckle plants.


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## fffarmergirl

It's great to hear that it's just coming up in zone 7. I'm in zone 6 so still have plenty of time yet. Is it usually in full sun or shade? Wet or dry areas? Lawns? Woods?


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## ShannonR

Poke Salat grows here but more during the summertime is when I see it. I was always told not to eat the berries, they would kill me. Never was aware of a medicinal use until now. If you want I could save some seeds or dig a couple up

I see it most often growing along fencelines, actually. It isn't really a vine but loves fenceline and old abandoned pasture area. Full sun is what it wants.


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## Shin

Well I've had it growing up in full sun in the middle of my lawn, it did best of all there, it also liked the south side of the house along the siding, where it did well. I agree!

If you want to plant the seeds I hear you have to sandpaper & soak them in strong vinegar for awhile to get them to germinate.


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## Declan

fffarmergirl said:


> It's great to hear that it's just coming up in zone 7. I'm in zone 6 so still have plenty of time yet. Is it usually in full sun or shade? Wet or dry areas? Lawns? Woods?


It usually grows in full sun around the margins of my property, but also grows in the shad. Seems to be fine with dryer areas. Never really thought about what it prefers because there doesn't seem much it doesn't prefer. When walking the og yesterday after seeing this thread, I noticed some about a foot high growing right around the tree line. I live in 7B.


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## fffarmergirl

Thank you - I'm going to have my eyes open for it! Thanks for the offer of seeds, Shannon. I'd plant it in my garden but I've got grandchildren who would be very attracted to purple berries.


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## itsb

fffarmergirl said:


> It's great to hear that it's just coming up in zone 7. I'm in zone 6 so still have plenty of time yet. Is it usually in full sun or shade? Wet or dry areas? Lawns? Woods?


the answer is yes it grows everywhere, sun, shade, wet, dry, woods, pasture, it also loves around old barn lots and burn piles. good stuff, I cant inagin havin to plant it as it grows everywhere around here in central Mo.


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## suitcase_sally

I've been in Michigan since 1976 and imagine my surprise last summer while taking a walk down my street. There it was - poke weed growing in a group of bushes! I had no idea it would grow here!


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## suitcase_sally

YIKES!!!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phytolacca_americana


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## Clem

I took some pictures for you when I wrapped up the day today. First off, calling poke salad "pokeweed" is sort of a sacrilegious thing. It's poke salad, poke sallet, and occasionally polk salad. But, thats a regional thing. 

I first had poke salad around 1952 or 53. It was just part of life. Come springtime, there was poke salad. Grandma made if scrambled with eggs. A few years ago, I perfected a souffle, or fritatta featuring poke salad.

Warning, if you eat a lot of processed food, a good "mess" of poke salad will act as a purgative. If you eat pretty healthy, it's just greens. Lot of fantasy and folklore around the eating of poke salad. I have eaten it raw, it fair sized quantities to prove it's not poisonous. Oh well... Tomatoes were once considered poisonous by people. 

So, the pictures. First is a poke salad plant just poking through. Note the shoots pointing upward. Also, the stem, even at just a day old, has a purple tinge. 



A closer picture of the same plant. 



This is NOT poke salad. I don't know what it is, but it's horrible tasting. Notice the odd square stem, with the ridges. Don't pick this, you'll get a really bitter taste. 



Poke salad grows everywhere here. One growing up in a pile of trash, directly beside a chunk of dried up paint. 





And some that's clearly ready to pick and cook.




Anything else you need to know, just ask me. 64 years of eating polk salad, I know it pretty good. AND, I'm having some for breakfast tomorrow, and I thank you for making this thread, so that I started looking, and found enough to make a "mess" A "mess" of greens means enough for a meal.


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## fffarmergirl

Thank you so much, Clem! I remember eating it when I was a little bitty girl. My grandma called it "Polk salad," and canned it. I used to beg for it! I wish she was still around. Glad I inspired you to pick a mess


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## harmon

Clem said:


> I took some pictures for you when I wrapped up the day today. First off, calling poke salad "pokeweed" is sort of a sacrilegious thing. It's poke salad, poke sallet, and occasionally polk salad. But, thats a regional thing.
> 
> .


 what is your region? I couldnt tell from your profile. Here in the springfield plateau of the Ozark mountain range (specifically right where the three states meet), its called pokeweed until its off the stalk. when its on the plate and ready to eat its salad. 
and funny you mentioned eating it raw to prove it isnt poisonous.

I've been taking poke berries for rheumatism (up to 7 a day) and they never hurt and are supposed to be poisonous. So last year for the first time I threw some raw leaves in my eggs and cooked it but didnt rinse it (let alone three times like youre supposed to). It was better tasting like that and better texture too


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## Ellendra

harmon said:


> I've been taking poke berries for rheumatism (up to 7 a day) and they never hurt and are supposed to be poisonous. So last year for the first time I threw some raw leaves in my eggs and cooked it but didnt rinse it (let alone three times like youre supposed to). It was better tasting like that and better texture too



Just a disclaimer here, some people are more sensitive to the poison than others. Start with small amounts, and back off if you start suffering any of the symptoms listed here: https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002874.htm

That said, I take a poke root tincture as part of a mix that helps with my fibromyalgia. It does have some excellent medicinal properties.


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## Clem

harmon said:


> what is your region? I couldnt tell from your profile. Here in the springfield plateau of the Ozark mountain range (specifically right where the three states meet), its called pokeweed until its off the stalk. when its on the plate and ready to eat its salad.
> and funny you mentioned eating it raw to prove it isnt poisonous.
> 
> I've been taking poke berries for rheumatism (up to 7 a day) and they never hurt and are supposed to be poisonous. So last year for the first time I threw some raw leaves in my eggs and cooked it but didnt rinse it (let alone three times like youre supposed to). It was better tasting like that and better texture too


I was born and lived my formative years in the corner of SC that is in Appalachia. For the past 40 years, I have lived one county away from Appalachia, in NC. So, all in all, I've spent 80% of my life in an area where it rarely gets below 20, and often gets over a hundred.


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## fffarmergirl

I've got to change my region on my profile now that I've moved to Kansas.

I really appreciate the pictures. I found a whole mess of it and cooked it up and OMG it's sooooo good. Sure cleans you out, though! I didn't know it would do that. Thank goodness I messaged my mom and told her I'd made some. She said "Better stay by a bathroom."


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## Metalman

fffarmergirl said:


> I just moved back to KS after being in MI 23 yrs and one of the things I'm excited about is finding pokeweed. Can anybody tell me where to look for it and about how big it would be right now?


I am glad to find a kindred spirit looking to grow pokeweed!

I am in the process of transplanting pokeweed into a row in our garden. Have about 15 clumps growing. Have spotted some others for transplant during next dormant season.

We are in the Brazos Valley of Texas, about 20 miles north of the Texas A&M Univ campus in College Station. Deep (30 - 36 in) sandy loam soil on the boundary of Zone 8A & 8B. 

Yesterday (6/12/16) I collected 3 seedling plants into a 3 gal plastic planter. Right now they look like limp lettuce left on the cabinet too long, but will see if they recover and grow. Pokeweed is really tough plant! If these 3 survive, I plan to give them to a fellow who shops at our farmers' market. 

We have some brush piles that eventually need to be fed to the Chipper. Seems like the birds sit on these piles and deposit seeds that sprout. I transplanted multiple clumps from these brush piles. All the clumps with "eyes" did will and are really taking off. I tried planting some root cuttings (like works with blackberries, comfrey, etc.) but had no survivors from root cuttings. 

In early spring, I also transplanted 5 or 6 seedling from our market garden rows to the pokeweed row. These baby plants (about 4 to 8 in) did OK and are growing. 

We have one large pokeweed in brush pile that seems to be a 2nd year plant that is about 8-10 ft tall right now - working hard to get to sunlight. The largest of my transplants in full sun is about 6 ft now and sending up multiple suckers. 

We are working to get drip irrigation on the pokeweed row and try adding a bit of Urea around the plants to learn more about how far they can be pushed.

Some of the pokeweed information on Internet is hysterical (as in: so wrong to be amusing - and as in: so totally wrong as to be in panic). The comments on WikiPedia appear to have been written by one of those person who has never enjoyed a mess of pokeweed.

One of my hopes is to live long enough to be able to write an article, "Domesticating Pokeweed" for submission to regional and national publications. We will never see pokeweed become one of the "factory foods", but a lot more people should be growing it in their gardens and enjoying the wonderful flavor if offers. 

If I can collect some seeds before the birds get them I am planning to try starting some in paper pots in our small greenhouse (The 6 x 10 size from Tractor Supply). Really wish I could collect sufficient seed to try direct seeding a row in the garden.

I really would like to be able to grow enough to try to find an independent restaurant management / chef who was willing to try it as a seasonal side dish for diners who are willing to try something more exotic. Are any users aware of restaurants who serve pokeweed?

Metalman


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## po boy

itsb said:


> the answer is yes it grows everywhere, sun, shade, wet, dry, woods, pasture, it also loves around old barn lots and* burn piles*. good stuff, I cant inagin havin to plant it as it grows everywhere around here in central Mo.


My dad would say he was going out to plant some poke salad and would burn a pile of brush. We always had it. Mom would simmer it with eggs, sure was good.


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## Shin

I have it coming up everywhere this year.. in one of the garden beds where my seeds didn't seem to start, it is taking over instead.. and the bush I have repeatedly mowed over is still quite alive. 

My yard seems full of tough plants that like to take over claiming their own territories. I have yet to try to eat it but no doubt I will nibble a leaf eventually!


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## bee

I'm late to the topic but have a few comments to add.
If you domesticate ur poke remember to stop the harvest and allow some to grow to feed the roots for next year..think asparagus culture. Around here if I find some that is over grown(the leaves "open" out of the shoot shape)I just break and drop and check in a couple of days for new shoots,can repeat several harvest but leave stalks to mature. Those mature bleached white hollow stalks are ur markers to find next years emergence. Here it is poke cakes..cubed toast, onion, cooked poke all bound with egg seasoned with salt and pepper and fried in bacon fat! Happy fork liftin!


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## Agriculture

I grow a variegated pokeweed. I got it initially just to annoy the local hysterical anti exotic invasive crusaders, but it has become one of my favorite ornamentals. 

I've been told that one of the restaurants in FL which caters to Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings fans has been serving pokeweed salad for years.


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## vintagecat

What part of KS? It's growing all over here on our property NW of Lawrence. We just mow it down. It seems to like partial shade along our east fence line. You are welcome to dig a plant or two if you are still looking for poke.


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