Native pokeweed spotted thriving along a New York roadside
iNaturalist: o_liv_id
Native Plants
That towering plant with the magenta stems and dark berries popping up along your fence line or in the woods behind your house is pokeweed, and knowing how to identify it means you can appreciate the birds it feeds while keeping kids and pets away from its toxic berries and roots.
Someone out for a walk in Harrison, New York spotted a pokeweed plant and snapped a photo good enough for experts to confirm the identification. Pokeweed is a native plant that grows tall with striking purple-red stems and clusters of dark berries that birds love to eat, though the berries and roots are poisonous to people and pets.
Key Findings
Observation confirmed as 'research grade' on iNaturalist, meaning the community and algorithm agree on the identification
Location recorded as Anderson Hill Rd, Harrison, NY, US
Species identified as Phytolacca americana (American pokeweed), a plant native to eastern North America
chevron_right Technical Summary
A verified sighting of American pokeweed, a tall native plant with dark purple berries, was logged in Harrison, New York, adding to a public database that tracks where wild plants grow across the country.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
American pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) observed in Anderson Hill Rd, Harrison, NY, US
Research-grade observation of American pokeweed in Anderson Hill Rd, Harrison, NY, US.
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
Species Mentioned
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Phytolacca americana, also known as American pokeweed, pokeweed, poke sallet, pokeberry, dragonberries, pigeonberry weed, and inkberry, is a poisonous, herbaceous perennial plant in the pokeweed family Phytolaccaceae. This pokeweed grows 1 to 3 metres. It has simple leaves on green to red or purp...