Use these tips to safely eliminate American pokeweed, which is an aggressive, toxic weed.
American pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) is a vigorous plant that can be tricky to get rid of.
But even where its native, you may not want this coarse, aggressive plant in your yard.
Credit:seven75 / Getty Images
seven75 / Getty Images
What Does Pokeweed Look Like?
Beware of Pokeweed Toxicity
All parts of the American pokeweed plant are poisonousespecially the roots.
And even if not ingested, the plant can cause a very nasty rash.
Your goal is to remove young plants with their root system intact.
In the summer, when soils dry, it is more difficult to hand pull, says Oneto.
Pulling on the stem may cause it to snap off.
He suggests using a shovel to dig out more established plants.
But you will have to dig deeply to remove the entire root system, which can be extensive.
For large, well-rooted pokeweed plants, getting the entire root mass may not be possible.
In this case, Oneto advises focusing on removing the top 3-6 inches of root from the soil surface.
This will help minimize and reduce resprouting.
He suggests that late summer or early fall is the most effective time to apply the herbicide.
He also notes that it may take more than one season to achieve effective control of established pokeweed.
Birds love the berries, which dont seem to bother them.
New plants also grow from seeds dropped from the fruit of the mother plant.
So, its not surprising that this weed has spread so widely across the continent.
