Is this a weed?

[Safroniabee]

Can anyone help me identify this? There are two, one in the back yard and one in the front.

[Safroniabee]

The one in front.

[applestar]

Is it getting colder where you are? I ask because if these are pokeweed, stems will turn burgundy/wine red(der) in the cold.

[purpleinopp]

Yes, they look like pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) sprouts. They should come up easily while they are small. Older ones have a big tuber that takes more work to evict, when unwanted.

[rainbowgardener]

I love pokeweed. It gets big, it has gorgeous purple berries that lots of birds love (you do have to watch out for purple poop though!) and those red stems..





it is aka inkberry. When the colonists first came to this country, they didn't have ink and they made it from the purple berry juice. The Declaration of Independence was written and signed in pokeweed/ inkberry ink.

[Susan W]

Pokeweed is not my friend! The birds may like the berries, but I can do without. I have plenty of birds without it, and if they eat the berries, poop seeds around. The plants difficult to eradicate because of the huge taproot as mentioned.

As for using as dye stuff?! Many assume it is a good dye for purple, and it isn't. One can get some instant/short term color, but nothing good and lasting. As for using as an ink colorant? I was dubious and did a 'google'. The common ink from Europe and Colonial America is iron gall. The galls, especially from oaks, are tannin rich which adds color (browns) and fastness. The iron for darkening and fastness plus helping to adhere to the paper. Walnut hulls can also be used (are tannin rich). Anyway, thanks for mentioning this RG, as it is another tidbit I can add to my natural dye demo at Ft Toulouse, AL next week.