American pokeweed Phytolacca americana

ABOUT
P. americana is an upright herbaceous perennial with oval or lance-shaped mid-green leaves, tinged with purple in autumn. White-pink flowers appear in racemes from mid-summer to early autumn, followed by crimson-black berries in autumn
About this plant
Names
Family
Phytolaccaceae
Synonyms
American pokeweed American nightshade cancer jalap chon grass coakum cokan crimson-berry plant crowberry dyer's grapes garget inkberry pigeon berry poke pokeberry poke root poke salad pokeweed red ink plant red weed scoke skoke Virginian poke Virginian pokeweed see more
Common names
Phytolacca decandra
Toxicity
Contact with the sap may irritate skin, all parts may cause a severe reaction if ingested, and the fruit is highly toxic. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling
Characteristics
Foliage type
Deciduous
Height
2.5-4 metres
Spread
1-1.5 metres
Hardiness zones
H7
Light
Full Sun, Partial Shade
Pruning
No pruning required
Soil
Loam, SoilClay
Suitable locations
Hardiness zone
Cottage & Informal Garden
Propogation
Propagate by seed in early spring
Pests
Generally pest-free
Diseases
May be prone to virus diseases