American pokeweed
Plant details:
Genus & species: Phytolacca americana
Hardiness: Zone 5 to zone 9
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Soil type: Tolerant of a variety of soil types
Soil moisture: Average to moist, drought tolerant once established
Orders come as 3 or 12 root crown divisions.
At present I believe that American pokeweed may be the best all-around utilitarian plant we have native to my region. It can serve as food for humans (when properly prepared to remove toxins) and wildlife, and is also a potent medicinal plant. I also think this plant is one of the best for regenerating poor soils. They also make ideal ‘nursery plants’, as they can protect young seedlings or plantings from intense sun, while loosening the soil around them with their large roots. When not needed to protect young plantings, they can be chopped and used as mulch around them. There are so many ways this wonderful plant can be incorporated into horticulture projects.
