Plant Image
Flowers


Yavapai County Native & Naturalized Plants

Phytolacca americana - American pokeweed

Synonyms: Phytolacca americana var. lancifolia
Other Common Names: poke-salad, poke-weed, common pokeweed, inkberry, pigeonberry, poke, pokeberry, pokeweed
Plant Form: Forb or Subshrub

Family: Phytolaccaceae


   
 
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Leaves
Sue Carnahan @http://swbiodiversity.org, Usage Rights: CC BY-NC (Attribution-Non-Commercial)
Plant
Paul Rothrock @http://swbiodiversity.org, Usage Rights: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA)
Fruit
Paul Rothrock @http://swbiodiversity.org, Usage Rights: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA)
Forb Plant Description

Origin: Native   Life Cycle: Perennial
General Desc: Tall, branching, bright green with reddish stems, smooth, juicy and ill-smelling; leaves large, roundly-narrow, 7 to 14 inches long, tapered at base and tips; elongated clusters of small, white flowers, with 5 petal-like sepals, pink to purple stems.
Identification notes: Tall, typically 6 to 10 feet, branching, reddish stems; leaves large, 7 to 14 inches long, thin, green on top, lighter below, tapered at both ends; flowers borne in pinkish stemmed elongated clusters, flower on short stems, white, sepals only.
Height: 6 to 10 feet


Habitat

Habitat Description: Found in disturbed areas, open woods, damp thickets, clearings.
Plant Communities: Pinyon Juniper Woodland, Montane Conifer Forest, Riparian, Disturbed Areas
Elevation: 4000 - 6000 feet


Flower Characteristics

Color: White     Shape: Regular in elongated clusters     Tubular: N     Flowering Period: Jul - Nov
Description: Small, 5 petal-like red, white, or pinkish sepals; terminal clusters on short stems, spreading to drooping; appearing opposite the leaves; calyxes deeply lobed; stamens 10, generally in 1 whorl; styles and stigmas several, style edges turned upward.


Leaf and Stem Characteristics

Leaf Color: Green     Leaf Type: Simple     Leaf Shape: Narrow     Leaf Margin: Smooth     Leaf Attachment: Alternate     Leaves Clasp: N
Hairs: No     Spines: N
Leaf Description: Large, roundly-narrow, 7 to 14 inches long, tapered at base and tips, coarse texture.


Fruit and Seed Characteristics

Fruit Type: Berry-like
Fruit Notes: Fruit juicy, round berries, 1/4 to 1/2 inch diameter; dark purple to black at maturity, bright red when young; 10-celled berry; stems and stalks pink to purple.
Seed Notes: Seeds black and shiny, lens-shaped, 1/8 inch long.



  Arizona Cooperative Extension
Yavapai County
840 Rodeo Dr #C
Prescott, AZ 86305
(928) 445-6590
Version 8.0  
http://cales.arizona.edu/yavapaiplants/SpeciesDetailForb.php  
Last Updated: Dec 13, 2022
Content Questions/Comments: Email Matt Halldorson  
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