Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana)
Phytolacca ah-mer-ih-KAY-nah

Deciduous Perennial Herbaceous Perennial in the Phytolaccaceae Family

Pokeweed isn't exactly beautiful, but its gangly height, bright purple stems and big black berry clusters make it a striking native herbaceous perennial.  It's a great plant for bird-lovers: the berries attract both berry-eating and insectivorious birds (which enjoy the insects which also like the berries) in late summer and fall.  Unsurprisingly, birds spread its seeds, so Pokeweed may turn up as a surprise just about anywhere.

Warning: all parts of this plant are potentially toxic to humans and your pets.  Pokeweed can even irritate the skin, so consider using gloves when handling.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 3 - 6 feet tall. 24 inches wide.
Tags Attracts Birds, Deciduous, Illinois Native, Native to North America, Perennial, Potentially Toxic, Shrub
Flower Color
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Pricing and Availability History

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!