In the Colors of Fall post, I mentioned the Pokeberry. I don't plant these things, they just come up as volunteers. Last year I had to pull up the volunteer that I found because it was right next to the fence where the dogs spend a lot of time. These plants are very poisonous so I decided I didn't want it where it was growing. This year, a volunteer came up on the slope, so I left it be. It hides for most of the season, then in the last month or so, it shoots up and is suddenly noticeable. This pictures were taken about 10 minutes ago - and the temp is 39 degrees:
Pokeberry Plant - notice the fool thing is blooming (it wasn't blooming when I noticed it last weekend - just had berries).
The Pokeberry Flower
The Pokeberry Berries
NOw you guys won't feel so deprived.
Thanks for relieving our deprivation! I love poke! I use the tender young leaves with other greens--properly cooked, of course, so as not to poison us. Poke weed threatened to take over that planting area just outside your dad's bedroom and living room--2004 through 2007. I finally took it out and have tried to get it to grow on the fringes of the woods. Why don't you make wine?
Posted by: Cop Car | October 17, 2008 at 05:49 PM
"Why don't you make wine?"
Two reasons: First, not enough berries; Second, I don't like wine (neither does WS), so it would be wasted effort.
Posted by: bogie | October 18, 2008 at 06:48 AM
I spent many happy hours as a kid squishing the berries & using the juice for ink. It's really quite pretty. I had no idea you could make wine from them.
Birds love them by the way. That's where your volunteers are coming from.
Posted by: Rita | October 18, 2008 at 07:01 AM
Bogie--Two good reasons. Your dad wouldn't touch any wine that I made, and I don't drink enough (perhaps 2 ounces/year) to make it worthwhile.
Rita--When I was a kid, we didn't have poke weed growing where we kids could play with it. (Not sure we would have thought to use the berries for ink, anyway!) Our folks would, on spring car trips, stop so that Mom could pick young polk and dock leaves from the highway right-of-way--for scrumptuous greens. Mmmmm.
Posted by: Cop Car | October 18, 2008 at 09:45 AM