Poke greens (salat)

judsoncarroll4

I LOVE poke greens! They are a must after a hard Appalachian winter. They are fresh tasting and delicious, a little tangy and back when folks had to live on root veggies and cabbage all winter, they gave folks a nice, vitamin rich, meal with a little needed fiber. Spring greens foraging is also a good reason to get out in the woods after being cooped up all winter. The old folks in the mountains said they "cleaned the blood"... turns out they were right! I'll list the medicinal uses for poke below. It is powerful medicine that should only be used with caution. Poke is toxic, although much less toxic than many people think. Most any book on foraging will tell you to pick only young leaves, and boil them 3 times, changing the water each time before cooking in grease. Honestly, I don't go to that much trouble. In fact, I pick small, tender leaves and eat them raw with no ill effects.... but, I'm not recommending anyone else do that! BTW, I grow poke in containers so I can fresh greens in the winter.

Herb: Pokeweed

Latin name: Phytolacca americana

Synonyms: Phytolacca decandra

Family: Phytolaccaceae (Pokeweed Family)

Medicinal use of Pokeweed: Pokeweed has a long history of medicinal use, being employed traditionally in the treatment of diseases related to a compromised immune system. The plant has an interesting chemistry and it is currently (1995) being investigated as a potential anti-AIDS drug. It contains potent anti-inflammatory agents, antiviral proteins and substances that affect cell division. These compounds are toxic to many disease-causing organisms, including the water snails that cause schistosomiasis. All parts of the plant are toxic, an excess causing diarrhoea and vomiting. This remedy should be used with caution and preferably under the supervision of a qualified practitioner. It should not be prescribed for pregnant women. The root is alterative, anodyne, anti-inflammatory, cathartic, expectorant, hypnotic, narcotic and purgative. The dried root is used as an anodyne and anti-inflammatory. The root is taken internally in the treatment of auto-immune diseases (especially rheumatoid arthritis), tonsillitis, mumps, glandular fever and other complaints involving swollen glands, chronic catarrh, bronchitis etc. The fresh root is used as a poultice on bruises, rheumatic pains etc, whilst a wash made from the roots is applied to swellings and sprains. The root is best harvested in the autumn and can be dried for later use. The fruit has a similar but milder action to the roots.The juice is used in the treatment of cancer, haemorrhoids and tremors. A poultice made from the fruit is applied to sore breasts. A tea made from the fruit is used in the treatment of rheumatism, dysentery etc. The plant has an unusually high potassium content and the ashes, which contain over 45% caustic potash, have been used as a salve for ulcers and cancerous growths. The leaves are cathartic, emetic and expectorant. A homeopathic remedy is made from the fresh root. Its main action is on the throat, breast, muscular tissues and the joints.

Description of the plant:

Plant:

Perennial

Height:

2 m

(6 1/2 foot)

Flowering:

August to

September

Habitat of the herb: Damp rich soils in clearings, woodland margins and roadsides.

Edible parts of Pokeweed: Leaves - they must be cooked and even then it is best to change the water once. They are used like spinach. Only the young leaves should be used since they become toxic with age. Caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity. Young shoots - cooked. An asparagus substitute, they are delicious. The shoots are sometimes blanched before using, or forced in cellars to provide an early crop. The tender clear inner portion of the stem can be rolled in cornmeal and fried. Although cultivated on a small scale in N. America for its shoots, caution is advised, see notes above. A nutritional analysis is available. Fruit - cooked and used in pies. Poisonous raw, causing vomiting and diarrhoea. Even the cooked fruits should be viewed with caution. The fruit is a berry about 12mm in diameter. A red dye is obtained from the fruit and used as a food colouring.

Other uses of the herb: A red ink and a dye are obtained from the fruit. A beautiful colour, though it is not very permanent. It makes a good body paint, washing off easily when no longer required, though the slightly toxic nature of the berries should be remembered. The rootstock is rich in saponins and can be used as a soap substitute. Cut the root into small pieces and simmer it in boiling water to obtain the soap. The plant is currently (1980) being evaluated for its snail-killing properties.

Propagation of Pokeweed: Seed - sow autumn or spring in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. If you have sufficient seed, it might be worthwhile trying an outdoor sowing in a seed bed in early spring. Grow the plants on in the seedbed for their first year and plant them out the following spring. Division in March or October. Use a sharp spade or knife to divide the rootstock, making sure that each section has at least one growth bud. Very easy, larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer.

Cultivation of the herb: Damp rich soils in clearings, woodland margins and roadsides.

Known hazards of Phytolacca americana: The leaves are poisonous. They are said to be safe to eat when young, the toxins developing as the plants grow older. Another report says that the seeds and root are poisonous. The plant sap can cause dermatitis in sensitive people. The plant contains substances that cause cell division and can damage chromosomes. These substances can be absorbed through any abrasions in the skin, potentially causing serious blood aberratins, and so it is strongly recommended that the people wear gloves when handling the plant.

http://www.naturalmedicinalherbs.net/herbs/p/phytolacca-americana=pokeweed.php

Linda Bittle

We ate all kinds of spring greens back in Missouri, where I grew up. Lambs Quarter, poke, and others. When I was old enough to be interested in what we ate, all my great aunts and my grandmother didn't want to talk about it. One aunt told me that we didn't have to do that anymore, since they could afford to go to the grocery store.

judsoncarroll4

@Mary Linda Bittle Yeah, that was my grandmother's attitude, as well. She never could understand why I liked the wild mustard and dandelion greens that she considered weeds. But, my great grandmother sure did! That is really what has shaped a lot of what I do - just a desire to eat a diverse diet... an interest in many flavors. My grandmother was an amazing cook, with a palate I inherited and culinary skills she taught me. But, she was definitely of a generation that felt some foods were beneath them. She never wanted me to be a farmer! But, in her time, farmers worked too hard and were always poor. She wanted me to get a college education. I did. But, my heart has always been in the soil.

SherryA

We have no trouble with propagation of poke around here! It pops up all around the yard. Poke is a native prairie plant, so grows well here in the Great American Desert (middle of the USA). I infuse oil with the root, to make medicine for swollen lymph nodes or arthritic joints. My understanding is that any external use is safe. I also make tincture from the root and freeze the berries. But it's important to know how to use them. One drop of tincture is all that's recommended, according to my research. And one berry a day can be swallowed whole for arthritis pain. Any more than one drop or one berry can be dangerous.