Pokeweed sightings climb as purple berries ripen across the US
iNaturalist Community
Native Plants
The magenta-stemmed plant with drooping purple berry clusters in your yard edge or park trail is pokeweed, a native that feeds migrating birds but is toxic to people and pets, so knowing it on sight helps you decide whether to keep it or pull it before it sets seed.
Pokeweed is a tall native plant with bright magenta stems and dangling clusters of shiny purple-black berries. People logged 1054 sightings of it in the US this past week, up from 994 the week before, because fall is when it's easiest to spot. Birds love the berries, but the plant is poisonous to humans, especially the roots and unripe berries.
Key Findings
1054 iNaturalist observations of American pokeweed in the US in the last 7 days, among the highest counts for any plant
Observations rose by 60 from 994 the previous week, about a 6% increase
The rise coincides with late-season berry ripening, when the plant's magenta stems and purple fruit are most visible
chevron_right Technical Summary
American pokeweed is one of the most-photographed plants in the US right now, with 1054 iNaturalist sightings in the past week, up 60 from the week before. Late September is when its dark purple berries and magenta stems are most conspicuous.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Trending: American pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) — 1054 observations this week
American pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) is a species in the family Phytolaccaceae. iNaturalist users recorded 1054 observations of it in the United States in the 7 days before today, among the mos...
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...