How to Get Rid of Pokeweed: 8 Methods

Pokeweedis a perennial, fast-growing weed that is quite large in comparison to other weeds, and has purple berries late in the summer. It's also considered an invasive species when growing outside of the eastern half of North America, to which it is native. The weed can be removed with the right methods, and you may want to eliminate pokeweed because it is highly toxic to humans and animals.

How to Identify Pokeweed

Pokeweed is a showy plant that stands taller than most weeds, at 2 to 10 feet. It has numerous stems that are smooth, thick, and mature to a purplish hue. The plant's green, egg-shaped leaves emit a foul odor when bruised. The unremarkable flowers are greenish-white and begin blooming in early summer. Most characteristic of the plant are the large racemes of ripened berries, dangling towards the ground, that start green and mature to a striking dark purple.

Warning

Pokeweed is currently on the invasive species list of only one state (California), but it is considered potentially invasive throughout much of the western United States, particularly in moist climates. Pokeweed spreads quickly by seeds that birds feed on and pass through their systems.

Pokeweed's Toxicity

The berries, leaves, and roots of pokeweed are all toxic. Avoid planting pokeweed in your yard (and do not allow pokeweed that has spread on its own to your property to remain) if children will be playing in your yard and/or dogs or cats will be let loose on your property.

How to Get Rid of Pokeweed

Eliminating pokeweed using any treatment may take multiple applications and attempts.

Manual Removal

Digging the plant out will be the preferred method for removal, though many gardeners use chemical herbicides to get rid of pokeweed.

• Pull Young Plants: Getting rid of young pokeweed is easier than mature plants. Pull young softwood stems as soon as you spot them.
• Dig Out Established Plants: Pokeweed dies back every winter, but the plant remains viable at the root level. You need to eradicate the plant's taproot to fully remove mature pokeweed.
• Cutting Pokeweed: Continually cutting young pokeweed will weaken the plants; it doesn't do much for mature pokeweed, however.

Smothering Pokeweed

Smothering pokeweed may be effective on young, less established plants. Do so byadding a thick layer of mulch, or even cardboard, over the plants. This method prevents the sun from reaching the roots, stems, and leaves, which weakens and kills the emerging pokeweed plants.

Using Herbicide

It is easy to get rid of invasive plants like pokeweed permanently by spraying the leaves with a glyphosate-based solution. It is not a solution without issues, though. Glyphosate isa non-selective herbicide. That means it harms almost all vegetation that it comes into contact with. Be careful not to get any on the plants that you want to keep.

Possible health issues regarding the use of glyphosate make it imperative that you protect yourself while spraying by wearing gloves, goggles, long pants, and a long-sleeved shirt.

Timing is important. Do not spray glyphosate solutions on a windy day: You want to be able to hit your target (the leaves) and nothing else. Spray pokeweed when it is actively growing (summer or early fall). Avoid spraying when rain is in the forecast since the rain would wash the herbicide off the leaves prematurely. Glyphosate works best when vegetation has been coated with it and then strong sunshine strikes that vegetation for several hours.

Natural Methods

• Use Boiling Water: Consistently pouring boiling water on young pokeweed plants as soon as you see them can weaken them, but it may not work on established pokeweed.
• Use Horticultural Vinegar: This type of vinegar can kill pokeweed foliage and weaken young plants, but it won't kill the roots of established pokeweed.
• Use Vinegar, Dish Soap, and Salt:This mixture is only effective on very young pokeweed plants to weaken them, but it will not affect the roots of mature plants. Mix 1 gallon of white vinegar, 1 cup of salt, and 2 tablespoons of dish soap, and spray or pour on the young plants.
  

How to Prevent Pokeweed

There are two ways to prevent pokeweed, and it's best to use both methods. Use pre-emergent herbicides in the early spring. In addition, vigilantly cut the pokeweed as soon as you see it starting to sprout.

From: thespruce