Phytolacca americana, commonly known as American pokeweed, pokeweed, poke sallet, pokeberry, dragonberries, pigeonberry weed, and inkberry, is a poisonous, herbaceous perennial plant in the pokeweed family Phytolaccaceae.

This wonderful North Florida native is disease-resistant, and its wood is notably dense and strong; it has historically been used to make tool handles.

Despite its bitter fruit, Phytolacca americana plays a crucial role in the ecosystem. It serves as a significant food source for various birds and mammals, and its spring flowers are a valuable nectar source for pollinators, fostering a sense of connection to the natural world.

It grows up to 10 feet. It has simple leaves on green to red or purplish stems and a large white taproot. The flowers are green to white, followed by berries that ripen from red to purple to almost black. They are a food source for songbirds such as the gray catbird, northern mockingbird, northern cardinal, and brown thrasher, as well as other birds and some small non-avian animals.

Source: Wikipedia.