Nobody mentioned the most important part.....American pokeweed is a poisonous, herbaceous perennial plant in the pokeweed family growing up to 8 ft (2.4m) in height. In early spring, shoots and leaves (not the root) are edible with proper cooking, but they later become deadly, and the berries are also poisonous. It is used as an ornamental in horticulture, and it provokes interest for the variety of its natural products (toxins and other classes), for its ecological role, its historical role in traditional medicine, and for some utility in biomedical research. All parts of the plant can be toxic and pose risks to human and mammalian health. Toxins are found in highest concentration in the rootstock, then leaves and stems, then the ripe fruit. The plant generally gets more toxic with maturity, with the exception of the berries, which are dangerous even while green. It was traditionally used in folk medicine as the system detoxer and dewormer of choice. I have a large example in my historic dooryard herb garden.

That is what was being discussed in the last few posts. I would love to see a picture of your herb garden, Major Tom. I've never heard of a dooryard herb garden.

This song from the American south is credited to Elvis Presley.
I never heard his version, but I've heard it from others...

Down there (South) we have a plant that grows out in the woods, and the fields
And it looks somethin' like a turnip green
Everybody calls it polk salad
Now that's polk salad
Used to know a girl lived down there and she'd go out in the evenings and
Pick her a mess of it
Carry it home and cook it for supper
Because that's about all they had to eat
But they did all right...

To each his/her own, but get it young and cook it long.
David