name: American Pokeweed

flavor_db_name_variants: american pokeweed

source: foodb

status: draft

food_db_id: American pokeweed

id: 437

name_scientific: Phytolacca americana

description: American Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) is a large semi-succulent herbaceous perennial plant growing up to 10 feet (3 meters) in height. It is native to eastern North America, the Midwest, and the Gulf Coast, with more scattered populations in the far West. It is also known as Virginia poke, American nightshade, cancer jalap, coakum, garget, inkberry, pigeon berry, pocan, pokeroot, pokeweed, pokeberry, redweed, scoke, red ink plant and chui xu shang lu. Parts of this plant are highly toxic to livestock and humans, and it is considered a major pest by farmers. Nonetheless, some parts can be used as food, medicine or poison. The plant has a large white taproot, green or red stems, and large, simple leaves. White flowers are followed by purple to almost black berries, which are a good food source for songbirds such as Gray Catbird, Northern Cardinal, Brown Thrasher, and Northern Mockingbird.

itis_id: 19523

wikipedia_id: Phytolacca americana

picture_file_name: 445.jpg

picture_content_type: image/jpeg

picture_file_size: 68651

picture_updated_at: 2012-04-20T09:38:08.000Z

legacy_id: 472

food_group: Vegetables

food_subgroup: Shoot vegetables

food_type: Type 1

created_at: 2011-02-09T00:37:42.000Z

updated_at: 2019-05-14T18:05:25.000Z

creator_id: null

updater_id: null

export_to_afcdb: false

category: specific

ncbi_taxonomy_id: 3527

export_to_foodb: true

public_id: FOOD00437