Seriously, I really could use an ID on this plant. I am a rookie landscaper at best, so I would appreciate any help!
I live in Florida. Zone 10.
Can see more Hi-Res images of this plant here: http://macstropicalgarden.blogspot.com/
Thanks in advance!!
Mac A.
Longboat Key, FL
It's a Pokeweed, Phytolacca americana. It's a common plant. Birds love the berries.
I'll take a Playstation 3 instead of a TV, thanks!
typo
This message was edited Mar 21, 2009 1:17 PM
ClayPA:
Thanks for the reply. I don't mean to sound disrespectful, but are you certain this is Pokeweed? The stalks on my plant are VERY large in diameter and it seems that all of the photos of Pokeweed I have looked at the stalks are much smaller.
I have small kids, so if this in fact the plant you say it is, it is poisonous and it has to go. Problem is, the root system is reportedly extremely large and this is another concern, because this plant is growing 3 feet from the foundation of my home. Any idea if they bust foundations like tree roots? The 4" tree-branch looking thing coming out of the ground that this thing is growing out of doesn't appear in any other photos I have seen. Maybe my root is above ground? The soil IS very hard in this spot of my lawn.
Kind to birds or not, I don't want a poisonous plant near my kids, stained driveways, etc, so I will dig it up if it takes a Saturday with a Bobcat, but, at the same time, I love it's dense very green foliage, so if it isn't Pokeweed, I would like to keep it. This thing looked almost dead about a month ago and now has shot up to almost 4 ft in a month, so it DOES fit the growing rate of Poke from what I hear. The stalks are solid green and do not contain ANY pink, red or purple, but I am guessing it's simply too early in the season. That would definitely sell me on it being Pokeweed and so would the berries which are yet to be seen.
Please don't be offended. I just want to double check with you. Are you VERY familiar with this plant from personal knowledge or are you replying based on research artickes or books? I just like to ask. I am attaching a different shot of this plant in my yard. It shows massive stalks, and the tree-branch looking (root) at the base?
Thanks again. If it is Pokeweed, you may have just saved my 3 year old's life. So thank you.
Mac
For what it's worth, I just found this online. The photos look more like the stalks I have and you are in the right genus, but perhaps it is Phytolacca Acinosa or "Indian Poke"? The article says it grows to 1.5 meters (roughly 4.5 feet) which fits my plant more than the 10 feet that the sites say the Phytolacca Americana grows to. Then again, the way it shot up in the last 4 weeks, maybe we ARE looking at 10 feet before end of year!! But it also sayd this species isn't gown in the US. Mostly found in China, India and S. America. S. America IS somewhat close to FL however in the grand scheme of things. Maybe someone brought back some seeds? SHAME.....
Look at the photo on the following page: (Click on it for Hi-Res)
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200007011
Either way - either plant, it's got to go. I simply cannot take the risk of having this around my children or cracking my foundation. Thank you very much for your help!
Mac
Mac, if you're not totally convinced of the identity of your mystery plant, you might want to post your question in the Plant and Tree Identification forum. http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/plantid/all/ You should get more responses that will either confirm it is pokeweed or something else.
I thought poke weed when I took a look, too. If there is a 2nd chance drawing, I'd like a Wii, haha.
I still say it's pokeweed, and it grows in my yard every year. It won't hurt your foundation. I've never heard of anyone being poisoned by it but I guess it could happen. I don't blame you for doubting what some guy on the internet says...LOL... compare your plant's characteristics with those on the link below
I will bet my playstation 2 that you already have a number of plants in your yard that are toxic at some level. Just teach your kids not to eat plants they don't know what they are. When I was a kid we would hurl the bunches of berries at each other, a big purple mess.
http://www.missouriplants.com/Whitealt/Phytolacca_americana_page.html
AKA poke, poke salad, polk salat
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6diOn54OWs
There are other Phytolacca species that occur in the United States, but P. acinosa isn't one of them, and P. americana (and a couple subspecies or varieties) is the only one listed as growing in Florida:
http://plants.usda.gov/java/stateSearch?searchTxt=phytolacca&searchType=Sciname&stateSelect=US12&searchOrder=1&imageField.x=0&imageField.y=0
I am very familiar with pokeweed and I think it usually has a reddish tint to the stems
Probably not in March, though.
CLAY:
Thanks again for the good info.
But thanks even more for sharing the awesome Youtube video! That is worth you getting a PS3 in itself!! Haha.
Thanks again. Good info. I agree that the lack of redness to the stalks is simply because it's so early in the season. Guess it's still "eatin' season". Anyone hungry? Better yet, anyone know where I can find Annie ?
BTW: Thanks Shebs45. Appreciate the tip.
I was thinking that in zone 10 it might be farther along than us...
Good point. There's nothing but green anywhere on this plant. Flowers will bloom next I suppose, then I will know for 100% and award Clay his PS3.
JulieQ, Mac is way ahead of us - I just looked in my yard where these grow and there's nothing, no sprouts or anything. Mac's poke would get red in time, I'm sure.
Mac, how about you just post some pics later and we'll call it even!
I'm a beginner, but my first thought was it looks like what the girlfriend called poke-sally. I've been pulling it up. gotta be the same thing as poke weed.
