Tips and tricks on cultivation and care

Which pokeweed should I plant in my garden?

Unfortunately, the pokeweed is also considered to be poisonous, the American pokeweed more than the Asian one. Both of them do not necessarily belong in a family garden, as eating them can quickly become dangerous for small children. You get digestive problems such as nausea, diarrhea or vomiting, and in severe cases, cramps.

You should also plant the pokeweed berries out of the reach of small children. It is sometimes referred to as the edible pokeweed, but that's only partly true. The poisonous ingredients lose at least some of their effectiveness when heated, but the berries are inedible raw and especially when unripe.

How do I care for the pokeweed?

The pokeweed is quite undemanding and easy to care for. Give her some compost or one in the spring Slow release fertilizer. The water requirement is not very great, but the plant likes slightly moist soil. If it feels comfortable in its location, then it is very likely to reproduce and is difficult to let go

fight.

Plant your pokeweed in a warm and light area place. She likes it sunny or partially shaded. It does not make any special demands on the soil, but it can be nutrient-rich and slightly damp. From June the pokeweed shows its mostly whitish flowers from which dark red to black berries develop in September and October.

The essentials in brief:

• is considered poisonous
• quite undemanding
• needs loose, rather nutrient-rich soil
• grows fast
• Location: warm, preferably sunny to partially shaded
• medium water requirement
• give slow release fertilizer in spring
• blooms from June
• Berries in September and October, dark red to black
• Plant the pokeweed in the family garden
• very prolific
• Originally not at home in Europe, but now widespread