JOIN NOW LOG IN
iVillage GardenWeb iVillage GardenWeb THE INTERNET'S GARDEN & HOME COMMUNITY ADVERTISEMENT
Blogs
Garden Voices
Forums
Garden Forums Home Forums Nature Forums
Photo Galleries
Garden Galleries Home Galleries
Ask The Experts Tools & Directories
Organization Directory Events Calendar Hortiplex Glossary Zone Finder Garden Bazaar
       
Return to the Edible Landscape Forum | Post a Follow-Up

o
is this an elderberry or weed?

clip this post email this post what is this?
see most clipped and recent clippings
Posted by momkoz z6 So Illinois (My Page) on
Sat, Aug 28, 04 at 22:59

i have been looking into getting an elderberry for the fruit and wine making. today i saw a "weed" growing around my fence. it looks similar to pictures of elderberry, since i have been looking at internet. other than taking a picture, how can one tell if it is an elderberry or some weed? let me also add that the stem is not woody, but reddish. the fruit resembles the pictures of elderberry.
thank you,
jennifer

Follow-Up Postings:

o
RE: is this an elderberry or weed?

clip this post email this post what is this?
see most clipped and recent clippings

Sign out the Peterson Field Guide to Trees and Shrubs from your local library. It has keys to identifing shrubs and will have details about identifying not only whether elderberry, but which one. The native elderberry with black berries in a flat panicle (Sambucus nigra) is edible, the one with red berries (S. racemosa) is poisonous.

Here is a link that might be useful: Elderberry pictures

o
RE: is this an elderberry or weed?

clip this post email this post what is this?
see most clipped and recent clippings

Just make sure you've not got pokeweed before you start chowing down on the berries.

Here is a link that might be useful: Pokeweed

o
RE: is this an elderberry or weed?

clip this post email this post what is this?
see most clipped and recent clippings
  • Posted by momkoz z6 So Illinois (My Page) on
    Sun, Aug 29, 04 at 18:32

yes! it is pokeweed!
thank you very much! :)
jennifer

o
RE: weed?

clip this post email this post what is this?
see most clipped and recent clippings

In spring you can havest & enjoy the young Poke leaves and stems (when under 6-8" tall) in omlettes. Yum! They'll grow all around the mother plant. Pull all but one, and do NOT eat the roots or older plants. My granddaddy Poke becomes a showy and hardy ornamental - with glorious Fall color. Brings good bird luck to the garden!

If you use any of the berries for ink or dye, as American Indians used to do, be sure to wear gloves. Also wear them to handle any part of this plant if over a foot tall, as you would with Castor Bean and others that cause severe skin irritation and poisoning.

  
 

 

 


Click here to learn more about in-text links on this page.



iVillage GardenWeb: The Internet's Garden & Home Community
Join | Garden Forums | Home Forums | Exchanges & Trading | Member Pages | Contact Us
© 2006 iVillage Inc. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Policies FAQ | Advertising
  
  iVillage Home & Garden Network