The pokeweed is one of those plants that’s undeniably striking in the garden, but it’s definitely a “handle with care” situation. While it looks great, pokeweed is toxic and can cause some pretty nasty symptoms if ingested. If you’ve got little ones running around the yard, you might want to think twice about keeping this one around.
Pokeweed Personality Traits
Aside from being poisonous, pokeweed is a bit of a garden bully. It has a massive drive to spread, popping up everywhere thanks to self-seeding and a vigorous root system that sends out new shoots constantly. If you don’t keep a close eye on it, you’ll wake up to a garden full of nothing but pokeweed. It’s a real space-hog that tends to crowd out its neighbors.
Beyond spreading through those underground runners, the seeds are incredibly eager to grow. They really only need a little bit of soil and some light to take off. Because it spreads so aggressively and grows so fast, getting rid of a pokeweed patch can turn into a major weekend project.
How to Get Rid of Pokeweed
If you’re looking to clear it out, early summer is your best bet. At this stage, the new root runners are still relatively soft and tender. If you wait until right after a good rain, you can usually pull them right out of the damp soil. The older, established plants are a different story, though. They develop deep, thick taproots that can reach several feet down, meaning you’ll have to do some serious digging to get them all out.
That said, there’s no denying that pokeweed is a head-turner. If you want to keep it but control the spread, the trick is to “deadhead” the plant. As soon as the flowers start to fade, cut them off. This prevents seeds from forming and stops the self-seeding cycle in its tracks. Make sure to toss those clippings in the trash rather than the compost bin—even a few missed berries can sprout new plants in your compost pile. Plus, keeping the berries out of the yard means kids won’t be tempted to try a “taste test.”
Does Pokeweed Have Any Benefits?
In the world of homeopathy, a remedy called Phytolacca is actually made from the pokeweed root. Practitioners often use it to treat things like:
- Sore throats
- Tonsillitis
- Difficulty swallowing
- Mastitis (breast inflammation)
- Back pain
- Joint aches
However, I wouldn’t recommend trying any DIY herbal medicine with this one at home—it’s just too toxic and can severely irritate your mucous membranes. On the bright side, gardeners can actually put those roots to work as a natural way to fight off slugs and snails!
