We have another pokeweed update. This is a comparative post, showing, once again, how fast this weed grows and changes. Around northwest Louisiana you might come across a pokeweed plant that looks like a four-feet tall shrub with pink stems, covered in dark black round fruits. Those big pokeweed bushes are older; they are growing from an older root system. The pokeweed plant pictured below is young. It volunteered sometime recently, perhaps even this summer, in a wet, sunny location near the arboretum drainage channel. It has quickly taken root, grown, and produced fruit.
Remember ― all parts of this plant are considered poisonous.
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| This is the pokeweed on August 30th. We see a few white flowers and developing fruits. We see a little pink on the stems. |
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| On September 11th, the stems are now hot pink and there are several ripe fruits. It's a very interesting specimen! This little plant is also still producing new flowers. Perhaps this will be a permanent fixture in the arboretum landscape. |
