This plant grows wild in TX, zone 8a. It gets about 6' tall, has a shape like a small willow tree, and gets purple berries. Its very pretty. It's a perennial. Anyone know what it is?

Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana)

Possibly: American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)

LOL, Dave ... I was way off, the leaves don't match at all for Callicarpa but looks like a definite match for Phytolacca and the description fits too!

Pokeweed it is then, my next question was going to be - you mean poke salad????? Guess not, hah. I'm afraid to even touch it now. I did notice the birds (even chickens) don't eat it.

Poke salad is the dish made from pokeweed. It's a poisonous plant but if you boil it several times (changing the water each time) then the poisons are removed and you can then eat it.

Thanks, I'll stick to my garden greens.

texaskitty111 said:Pokeweed it is then, my next question was going to be - you mean poke salad????? Guess not, hah. I'm afraid to even touch it now. I did notice the birds (even chickens) don't eat it.

Poke Salad is made from Pokeweed, by boiling the leaves several time and pouring of the water each time, to remove toxins. Birds love the mature fruit. dave beat me to it.

'Polk Salad Annie' is a 1968 song written and performed by Tony Joe White

Yep, Tony Joe White wrote the song in 1968 and it was first released in 1969 the year I got married. Elvis later made a recording of it also.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P...

Guess we're all in the same age range. I was in high school then.

Karen