Even earlier in the season, its immense size compared to other perennial weeds is helpful in identification.
Winter kills off only the above-ground growth.
The plant remains viable at root level and comes back every spring.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Manually removing the plant is the safest and most eco-friendly method but herbicides can be used carefully if needed.
Find out more about what you have to do to kill pokeweed successfully.
These racemes can be quite large (up to 8 inches long).
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
The berries start out green but mature to a striking dark purple.
Pokeweed stands taller than most weeds, at 2 to 10 feet.
When all of these characteristics are taken together, they make for a showy plant.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Pokeweed’s height is usually greater than its width.
It has numerous stems.
These stems are smooth, thick, and mature to a purplish color.
Pokeweed develops purplish stems as it matures.photohampster/Getty Images
The unremarkable flowers are greenish-white and begin blooming in early summer.
It is also listed as an invasive plant in Japan.
Its range cuts across manyUSDA hardiness zones(from 3 to 10).
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
It survives in full sun or partial sun and soil of average fertility; it even tolerates some drought.
The main thing it needs is good drainage.
It occurs in fields and pastures, but also in open woods and thickets.
Pokeweed is mainly green when young.Catherine McQueen / Getty Images
It will grow almost anywhere the ground has been disturbed, including along roads.
Pokeweed displaces native species when it grows outside its native rangethe very definition ofinvasive.
Pokeweed spreads quickly by seed due to the impact of wild birds feeding on it.
The toxicity of the plant makes it potentially undesirable even in cases where invasiveness is not an issue.
In some cases, herbicides are necessary to thoroughly kill the plant underground if it’s mature.
Pokeweed is deceptively tenacious because of its herbaceous nature.
What we do not realize is the reservoir of strength it holds underground.
It has a thick, large taproot from which it emerges each spring.
However, some people do not mind using chemical herbicides.
If you fall into either of these camps, you may prefer to remove pokeweed by using aweed killer.
It is not a solution without issues, though.
Glyphosate is a non-selective herbicide.
That means it harms almost all vegetation that it comes into contact with.
Be careful not to get any on the plants that you want to keep.
Spray pokeweed when it is actively growing (summer or early fall).
Avoid spraying when rain is in the forecast since the rain would wash the herbicide off the leaves prematurely.
Younger pokeweed with small roots can be easier to get rid of than more established plants with spreading roots.
Always wear protective gloves when touching pokeweed.
You may have to spray the pokeweed more than once to remove it permanently.
Common Pokeweed.Invasive Plants Atlas.
Phytolacca americana.Invasive Species of Japan.
Common Pokeweed Identification and Management.Penn State Extension.
Glyphosate.National Pesticide Information Center.
