Pokeweed sightings spike as its striking berries ripen
iNaturalist Community
Native Plants
The towering purple-stemmed plant popping up in vacant lots and yard edges right now is loaded with berries that birds love but that are toxic to people and pets if eaten.
Pokeweed is a big, showy plant that shoots up several feet tall and produces dark purple berries on hot pink stems late in the growing season. Right now it's one of the most-spotted plants on iNaturalist, likely because its berries and color are at their peak and hard to miss on a walk. It's a native plant in much of its range, but every part of it is poisonous to humans, so admire it without touching or tasting.
Key Findings
1,127 research-grade observations of American pokeweed were logged this week on iNaturalist
The species ranks among the top trending plants for the week, indicating a seasonal spotting surge
Late summer to early fall coincides with peak berry and stem coloration, likely driving observation volume
chevron_right Technical Summary
American pokeweed is having a huge week on iNaturalist, with over 1,100 people logging sightings of its tall stalks, purple berries, and pink-streaked stems across the country.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Trending: American pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) — 1127 observations this week
American pokeweed is among the most observed plant species this week with 1127 research-grade observations.
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...