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Native Plant Society of Texas

American Pokeweed

Phytolacca americana

Other common name(s):

Great Pokeweed, Pokeweed, Pokeberry, Red Ink Plant

Family:

Phytolaccaceae (Pokeweed Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

This map uses data from the US EPA. EPA  servers have been offline frequently so maps may not display. We are working on a solution.

Chihuahuan Deserts, Cross Timbers, East Central Texas Plains, Edwards Plateau, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, Texas Blackland Prairies, Western Gulf Coastal Plain
Low Mountains and Bajadas
Eastern Cross Timbers, Grand Prairie
Bastrop Lost Pines, San Antonio Prairie, Southern Post Oak Savanna
Balcones Canyonlands, Edwards Plateau Woodland, Llano Uplift
Northern Humid Gulf Coastal Prairies, Texas-Louisiana Coastal Marshes
Floodplains and Low Terraces1, Northern Blackland Prairie, Southern Blackland Prairie
Flatwoods, Southern Tertiary Uplands, Tertiary Uplands

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Herbaceous

Height

3
to
5
ft.

Spread

2
to
3
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Clay, Loam, Moist, Sand, Well Drained

Light Requirement

Part Shade

Water Requirement

Medium

Native Habitat

Disturbed Areas, Woodland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Pink, White

Bloom Season

Summer, Fall

Seasonal Interest

Berry, Larval Host, Nectar

Wildlife Benefit

Birds, Moths, Small Mammals

Maintenance

Low maintenance. Easy to grow. Good for pollinator and woodland gardens. Prefers moist soils but will tolerate short periods of drought. It may pop up in your yard naturally, and some consider it a “weedy” species, but it is worth giving it space in your garden for wildlife value. It can always be thinned as needed. Susceptible to mosaic virus. WARNING: berries and roots are poisonous to humans. Native habitat: disturbed open woods, damp thickets, clearings, roadsides.

Description

Blooms July-October depending on growing conditions. A tall, branching plant with reddish stems and a thick fleshy taproot. Large leaves are lance shaped to oval, with rounded base and pointed tip. Flowers appear in long clusters of small, green to white flowers. Dark blue-black, purple berries mature in the late summer to fall and produce black, lens-shaped seeds. Larval host: Giant Leopard Moth.

References

1) Griffith, Bryce, Omernick & Rodgers (2007). Ecoregions of Texas. 2) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=PHAM4. 3) https://portal.torcherbaria.org/portal/taxa/index.php?taxon=Phytolacca+americana&formsubmit=Search+Terms. 4) http://bonap.net/TDC/Image/Map?taxonType=Species&taxonId=16889&locationType=County&mapType=Normal., 5) https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=19523#null, 6) https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/phytolacca-americana/, 7) https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=284958&isprofile=0&n=1, 8) https://seedsource.com/american-pokeweed/ 9) https://rangeplants.tamu.edu/plant/pokeberry-pokeweed/ 10) http://www.texaswildbuds.com/phytolacca-americana.html 11) https://houstonaudubon.org/conservation/bfc/nativeplants/gallery/pokeweed.html

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Seed Scarification The seeds of pokeberry are germinated successfully by storing them dry over winter and then nicking them with a needle to break the seed coat, followed by germination treatment at about 75ºF. sow autumn or spring in a cold frame[200]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. If you have sufficient seed, it might be worthwhile trying an outdoor sowing in a seed bed in early spring. Grow the plants on in the seedbed for their first year and plant them out the following spring. Gather about a pint of the purple berries, crush them, cover with water, and let ferment for a few days. The good seeds will settle to the bottom and the pulp and skins can be floated off and discarded. The seeds are then spread out to dry and then stored in a cool place. 1) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=PHAM4 2) https://research.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/19804#:~:text=The%20seeds%20of%20pokeberry%20(Phytolacca,germination%20treatment%20at%20about%2075%C2%BAF. 3) https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Phytolacca+americana#:~:text=Plant%20Propagation,late%20spring%20or%20early%20summer. 4) https://www.michigangardener.com/growing-pokeweeds/
Root Division Use a sharp spade or knife to divide the rootstock, making sure that each section has at least one growth bud. Very easy, larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. It is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer. Division on March or October 1) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=PHAM4 2) https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Phytolacca+americana#:~:text=Plant%20Propagation,late%20spring%20or%20early%20summer.

About the Region

2026 Fall Symposium Logo

This low-elevations region of Texas extends inland from the barrier islands, about 60 or so miles, and stretches from Brownsville to Louisiana. In total, it covers about 9.5 million acres, with a high point of 150 feet in elevation. More than 1000 species of plants can be found in this region. On the southern end, species more common in Mexico (such as Sabal mexicana) and Central America occur.

The barrier islands provide us with dune systems, and clay flats to the inland side, which have species found in these areas alone. Many plants here, such as Ipomoea pes-caprae (beach morning glory), can be found throughout tropical regions of the globe. I’ve encountered the same species on the beaches of Guam.

Once inland, vast marshes and wet prairies occur. Occasionally, oak (Quercus fusiformis) groves can be found. Common grasses include species of Bothriochloa, Paspalum, and Sporobolus; eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides); and switchgrass (Panicum species). Many rivers and creeks cut through the Gulf Prairies, and along these riparian areas various species of trees, Sabal minor, and other plants adapted to clay soils can be found. Due to overgrazing, farming, and fire suppression, woody species such as mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) and huisache (Acacia farnesiana), and invasive species such as chinaberry (Melia azedarach), Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius), and Chinese tallow (Sapium sebiferum) have increased and displaced our native flora.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason