Wow you must have some good soil there. I have a couple that popped up but none are that big. Keep it as long as you don’t have major concerns a kid will eat the berries unattended. The birds love it. Just know it’ll pop up all over (but easy to control by pulling when they’re young)
cheapandbrittle
100% stay! I love pokeweed, it’s great for pollinators and birds love the berries. Just be aware the berries are poisonous if there are any children around.
Thick-Ad-5162
Berries can be used to dye material purple. I’ve done that. Avocado pit and black beans will make a purple dye as well.
PlaidTeacup
I got rid of mine because there are little kids next door, and because I didn’t want to have to be so careful to avoid brushing against it while working in the garden. It can cause skin irritation on contact, so you need to be aware of that
houseplantcat
I always leave a pokeweed or two, because i think they are a neat shape, but i do pull a lot of sprouts to keep them under control.
According_Buddy4732
The birds went crazy for mine last year
melodicmelody3647
Pull it
Same_Fall3644
I’d wait to pull it since their root is quite deep and you’ll likely disturb some companion plants in process. Yank it out after the birds have feasted in the fall. In the spring you’ll have to pull the 50 or so sprouts that will come up from the seed dispersal from the bird feast. Pokeweed is great for birds but unfortunately tends to take over and crowd out other stuff in my experience. And is a pain to remove the root once established. I try to push it to an area of my yard that I dont have established native plants.
blightedbody
Probably stay it’s a tough call.,, it is good looking. I just know Europe has to deal with that is their weed
Totalidiotfuq
I love this these fuckers. Big ass canopy at full size. Birds and bees love it. Big succulent stalk that’s fun to kick.
jerseysbestdancers
I have two in my front yard. One looks like yours. The other got munched by a deer, and it grew into a much fuller bush shape. Ill probably cut both down mid May in NJ to keep them looking more intentional than weedy.
Rellcotts
I let it go on woodland edges and everywhere except the flower beds around the house. Just gets a bit unwieldy
TAM_IS_MINE
There are three in my yard. The birds love them! I would keep it if you reasonably can without your dogs eating it. Ours don’t 🙂
soundisloud
It depends – do you want 50 pokeweed in your yard next year or not? That’s really the only question.
shadows-of_the-mind
I hate pokeweed. It’s native and when it flowers it looks nice but I hate the shape of it with that Y shape canopy and all, and it spreads like crazy and the berries are toxic (and I believe the stalk or at least the sap is mildly toxic too, but I could be wrong).
mykali98
My dogs come in at least once a year with deep red purplish stuff smeared on their fur. I always have a quick panic before I realize what it is.
FelineFine83
I’d get rid of it, but I’m super sensitive to it and get horrendous rash/blisters from contact (worse than poison ivy for me…which I’m also sensitive to).
Ok_Luck_1098
Stay
MezzanineSoprano
Cut off the berries before they ripen or birds will eat them, poop them out and you will have pokeweed EVERYWHERE next year. Also, the berries are toxic to humans.
Competitive_Shock_42
We had a few in our yard and so far it stays under control, It does not show up where we have natives but more in places that are disturbed
20 Comments
Wow you must have some good soil there. I have a couple that popped up but none are that big. Keep it as long as you don’t have major concerns a kid will eat the berries unattended. The birds love it. Just know it’ll pop up all over (but easy to control by pulling when they’re young)
100% stay! I love pokeweed, it’s great for pollinators and birds love the berries. Just be aware the berries are poisonous if there are any children around.
Berries can be used to dye material purple. I’ve done that. Avocado pit and black beans will make a purple dye as well.
I got rid of mine because there are little kids next door, and because I didn’t want to have to be so careful to avoid brushing against it while working in the garden. It can cause skin irritation on contact, so you need to be aware of that
I always leave a pokeweed or two, because i think they are a neat shape, but i do pull a lot of sprouts to keep them under control.
The birds went crazy for mine last year
Pull it
I’d wait to pull it since their root is quite deep and you’ll likely disturb some companion plants in process. Yank it out after the birds have feasted in the fall. In the spring you’ll have to pull the 50 or so sprouts that will come up from the seed dispersal from the bird feast. Pokeweed is great for birds but unfortunately tends to take over and crowd out other stuff in my experience. And is a pain to remove the root once established. I try to push it to an area of my yard that I dont have established native plants.
Probably stay it’s a tough call.,, it is good looking. I just know Europe has to deal with that is their weed
I love this these fuckers. Big ass canopy at full size. Birds and bees love it. Big succulent stalk that’s fun to kick.
I have two in my front yard. One looks like yours. The other got munched by a deer, and it grew into a much fuller bush shape. Ill probably cut both down mid May in NJ to keep them looking more intentional than weedy.
I let it go on woodland edges and everywhere except the flower beds around the house. Just gets a bit unwieldy
There are three in my yard. The birds love them! I would keep it if you reasonably can without your dogs eating it. Ours don’t 🙂
It depends – do you want 50 pokeweed in your yard next year or not? That’s really the only question.
I hate pokeweed. It’s native and when it flowers it looks nice but I hate the shape of it with that Y shape canopy and all, and it spreads like crazy and the berries are toxic (and I believe the stalk or at least the sap is mildly toxic too, but I could be wrong).
My dogs come in at least once a year with deep red purplish stuff smeared on their fur. I always have a quick panic before I realize what it is.
I’d get rid of it, but I’m super sensitive to it and get horrendous rash/blisters from contact (worse than poison ivy for me…which I’m also sensitive to).
Stay
Cut off the berries before they ripen or birds will eat them, poop them out and you will have pokeweed EVERYWHERE next year. Also, the berries are toxic to humans.
We had a few in our yard and so far it stays under control, It does not show up where we have natives but more in places that are disturbed