PHYTOLACCACEAE - - Pokeweed Family

Phytolacca americana Linnaeus — Pokeweed, Poke-salad

Habitat:

In a wide variety of natural and disturbed habitats, usually associated with exposed mineral soil. An abundant "native weed" occurring throughout e. North America, P. americana is widely dispersed by birds and quickly colonizes exposed mineral soil even in undisturbed forests, such as on treefall tip-up mounds or flood scours. It is most abundant, however, as a weed of urban, suburban, and agricultural disturbances. The berries and mature stems are poisonous; the young stems have been used as a potherb and the purple berries as a source of ink.

Habitat information from:
Weakley, Alan S., Flora of the Southern and Mid-Atlantic States, Working Draft of 21 May 2015.

Kartesz, J.T., The Biota of North America Program (BONAP). 2015. North American Plant Atlas. (http://bonap.net/napa). Chapel Hill, N.C. [maps generated from Kartesz, J.T. 2015. Floristic Synthesis of North America, Version 1.0. Biota of North America Program (BONAP). (in press)].