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Statewide IPM Program, University of California

Common pokeweed  (Phytolacca americana)

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Life stages of Common Pokeweed flowers fruit root mature plant seedlings

Common pokeweed is a nonwoody perennial weed that is native to the eastern United States. The aboveground growth of common pokeweed plants dies after the first frost each year. New growth emerges from storage roots in the spring.

Common pokeweed is considered an occasional weed in California. It is found in the Central Valley, the coast from Mendocino to San Diego, and the Sierra Nevada mostly below 4,000 feet (1000 m).  All parts of the plant (especially the roots) are toxic to humans and livestock when ingested. Birds eat the fruits without much harm and are usually the means for seed dispersal along fence rows, under utility lines and wooded areas.

Habitat

Common pokeweed grows on roadsides, as well as in gardens, orchards, vineyards, crop fields, pastures, parks, oak woodlands, riparian areas, and disturbed places.

Seedling

The cotyledons (seed leaves) look very similar to older leaves. They are hairless, 0.6 to 1.2 inches (15â??30 mm) long, and 0.2 to 0.4 inch (6â??11 mm) wide. Cotyledons are mostly oval, but taper to a point at the tip (lance-shaped). Subsequent young leaves are egg-shaped or elliptical. The portion of the stem below the cotyledons is succulent and often has a tinge of magenta.

Mature plant

Mature common pokeweed plants grow to be between 4 and 10 feet (1â??3 m) high, and have thick, fleshy taproots. Stems of mature common pokeweed are red or purple, as are the stalks and lower veins of the leaves. Leaves are elliptical or lance-shaped, bright green, hairless, and between 3 and 12 inches (8â??30 cm) long. They also have an unpleasant scent when crushed. Leaf width is between 1 and 5 inches (3â??12 cm). The leaves alternate with one another on the branches.

Flowers

Common pokeweed blooms from August through October. It produces small flowers that grow along a single stalk (or raceme). The racemes may be either upright or drooping and are between 2 and 8 inches (5â??20 cm) long. The flowers are white to magenta with green centers and have 5 sepals that look like petals.

Fruits

Common pokeweed berries are glossy and purple-black at maturity. They are nearly spherical but somewhat flattened, with a diameter of 0.3 to 0.4 inches (7â??10 mm) at the middle.

Seeds

Seeds are disk-shaped, black and glossy. They have a small protrusion and notch on one side. Seeds are about 0.1 inch (2.5â??3 mm) in diameter.

Reproduction

Common pokeweed reproduces by seed.

Related or similar plants

  • Japanese knotweed
  • Himalayan knotweed
  • Sakhalin knotweed

More information