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Poke Weed

Photo by p.young713
Published on Project Noah
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29.6516, -82.3248

Field Notes

Description:

The locals say it can be cooked and is edible, it has a red stem and grows wild. I think I have seen it sold in the Vegetable departments and is called Greens, which people in the south eat, sometimes with Ham Hocks and other pork products.

Habitat:

Wild

Species ID Suggestions

Pokeweed

Phytolacca americana

Comments (3)

Wow ~Thats very interesting! I have not had the nerve to eat it yet.
A word of cation....here's a quote from Wki: Young pokeweed leaves can be boiled three times to reduce the toxin, discarding the water after each boiling. The result is known as poke salit, or poke salad, and is occasionally available commercially.[6] Many authorities advise against eating pokeweed even after thrice boiling, as traces of the toxin may still remain. It should never be eaten uncooked. For many decades, poke salad has been a staple of southern U.S. cuisine, despite campaigns by doctors who believed pokeweed remained toxic even after being boiled. The lingering cultural significance of Poke salad can be found in the 1969 hit song "Polk Salad Annie," written and performed by Tony Joe White, and famously covered by Elvis Presley, as well as other bands including the El Orbits of Houston, Texas. Pokeberry juice is added to other juices for jelly by those who believe it can relieve the pain of arthritis. There are currently four known poke sallet festivals held annually. They are in Gainesboro, Tennessee; Blanchard, Louisiana; Harlan, Kentucky; and, Arab, Alabama.

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