I found this in the woodsy area of our property and googled its value and purpose.

Even before I looked it up on the internet, I thought, “It sounds like something the native Indians would have used in our area.”

I learned that it’s a toxic perennial which is native to North America.

It is a plant with large leaves which produces clusters of small greenish-white flowers that develop into dark purple berries.

All parts are toxic – leaves and berries – especially as they age.

Native Americans and early settlers used pokeweed for various medical purposes, including treating skin ailments and as a dye.

That was interesting. I know native Americans lived in our area because when I was young, my grandpa and dad found arrowheads and other Indian items on our homestead.

Finding the pokeweed and reading about its history, made me wonder if there were inhabitants in our woodlot long before we lived here.