I always recommend folks to check 3-5 field guides when identifying a plant and to check with someone who can verify the plant before consuming. 100 grams of fresh … Do not confuse elderberry with American Elder, Elderflower, or Dwarf Elder. A Mom’s Guide to better Mornings, Triple E Formula for a Thriving, Respectful Family Dynamic, Day 3, Set the Tone. Pokeberries and elderberries have similar coloring but pokeberries are larger and each one has a dent. This plant is commonly mistaken for Elderberry but it is POISONOUS. Elderberry does not have alternate leaves, and the berries grow in an umbel, 6) Umbel: A flat, disk-shaped or umbrella-shaped cluster of flower. Phytolacca americana, also known as American pokeweed, pokeweed, poke sallet, dragonberries is a poisonous, herbaceous perennial plant in the pokeweed family Phytolaccaceae growing up to 8 ft (2.4m) in height. Flavor is the most important area of difference from a culinary standpoint. pokeberries are about the size of peas with a dent in each berry. It’s pretty easy. Each spring the plant is covered with clusters of tiny white flowers that are … elderberries are tiny. I’m happy to own one. Both are considered shrubs, but Elder has woody branches while Poke has a very distinct red hue to its more pliable stem. elderberries are about the size of a bb. !?! Buy the Poke issue here. Aside from helping others reach their full potential she enjoys gardening, cooking, crafting, camping, hiking, teaching, researching and fellowship. A student of mine recently brought in a branch with purple berries. The shape is more of an egg-shape versus the fine point of the elderberry. Black Elderberries are high in flavonoids called anthocyanins, which give the berries their bluish-purple color, as well as another group called anthocyanidins. The flowers are usually white to greenish, but may be pinkish or purplish. There seems to be a lot of confusion with the identification of Poke (Phytolacca americana) vs. the identification of Elderberry (Sambucus nigra). Thank you for your interest. Both can grow 10 feet tall and both spread out and grow in groves. Berry Confusing! I always recommend 3-5 field guides when learning about wild edibles. Thank you terra, Never mind i seen enough photos now to know these are pokeweed. Elderberries. The elderberry is a very popular plant that grows well in the garden as well as the wild. It’s always good to get 3-5 sources for plant ID. Pokeberry flowers from July though September, with clusters of green berries on the stems that eventually ripen to purple. Here in Lakewood CA. I am familiar with Pokeweed but not elderberry in the wild. But now reading about its benefits everywhere. Kids will learn about technology regardless if I teach them, but who is teaching them about our world around us? The leaves are different too. But no worries, here, I use the berries for dye. I’m not sure if the syrup was actually made from Pokeberries or if it was simply a botched photo op, but either way I wouldn’t want to find out! I thought it might have got started by the birds eating the wild birdseed I used at the time so I left it alone for the birds to eat. Great for the birds, not so great to make syrup out of. Enjoy. Maybe it is just nostalgia from a simpler era. The young shoots in early spring, 6” tall or less can be eaten as a pot herb. You will notice that in most recipes that involve elderberries or pokeberries, other flavorful ingredients are included as well. We would snack throughout the day on raw vegetables still speckled with rich, black dirt. I had chalked this up to internet misbehavior, when a few weeks ago we had a gathering at our house, and good friends of mine, people familiar with plants and gardening, misidentified Poke as Elder. Leave a comment with what you’ve found! Cholesterol is a lipid essential for producing hormones and takes two forms: LDL, or bad cholesterol, and HDL, good cholesterol. Buy the Elderberry issue here. Flowers of Red Elderberry. Glad you could get confirmation. MediMindful Moment Podcast: Meet Jen James, MediMindful Moment Podcast: Meet David Nichtern, MediMindful Moment Podcast: Meet Chris Salem, MediMindful Moment Podcast: Meet Bradford Tilden. Leaves are opposite, compound, 4–12 inches long with 5–7 leaflets; leaflets 2–6 inches long, 1–2 inches wide, lance-shaped to sometimes egg-shaped; margins sharply toothed; upper surface shiny, bright green, smooth; lower surface paler, barely or densely hairy. These are Pokeweed berries which are deadly. Glad the pics helped you out. I suggest you find a master gardener office nearby and folks can help you with this. Elderberries are the fruit of various species of the Sambucus plant. Thank you for the info, Mark. Two plants that look alike can easy be mixed up. 20% more magnesium per 100g? The girls and I love to nature walk around our property, exploring and identifying plants and insects around our property. rather than a spike. It has recently come to my attention that these two plants (and their identifications) has caused some confusion. Buy the Elderberry issue here. Red Elderberries. As far as what a berry is, the scientific/botanical definition is quite different than public perception. ... Pokeweed … Elderberry syrup is one of my favorite winter – keep in the medicine chest – remedies. A Mom’s Guide to better Mornings, Day 2, Sleep Fix. Glad the article was helpful. Enjoy your day. I recently moved in to a new neighborhood and new house and i just realized that there was a plant that looked like there were blue berries and so i did research and i found this and it was very helpful! Common elderberry is a shrub to 8 feet tall, forming colonies from root sprouts, with branches occurring near the top. Alicia is a caring and dedicated Mother and Mommyprenuer. Pokeberry stems are fleshy, non-woody. The pokeberry plant grows to shoulder height from a thick taproot. For this antioxidant berries list, we are using the commoner’s definition… In the meantime, consider elderberry for your home medicine chest. Its green stems turn purple-red, and its leaves are as long as 12 inches. The leaves look like smooth and not a sawtooth-like the elderberry. You can figure out the difference between Elderberry vs Pokeweed by looking at a few of the visible characteristics of each which I’ll detail here. Avocados, bananas, coffee, grapes, and pumpkins all qualify as berries, technically speaking. ... elderberries can also pump up your pantry. Amazon has a wide assortment of options for both adults and kids. You’re right it’s not easy to tell the difference until you compare the whole plant with fruit many times. They are used however to make a natural dye. Just google elderberry syrup. Spring is a good time to test your knowledge of identifying these two flowering shrubs, small trees. It is an excellent tree to grow that will attract wildlife to your garden and the flowers and berries can be … I am enclosing a photo. ?elderberry has all the chacteristics of elder tree but the leaves tend to yellowish green Then we would hazard the thorns, enduring cuts and scrapes, stretching from our very tippy toes, to reach the largest, blackest, juiciest, most perfect blackberry you’ve ever tasted. Flowers in terminal and lateral racemes, minute, somewhat bell-shaped, with 5 greenish-white sepals suffused with pink. Go exploring your backyard and neighborhood! She specializes in personal and professional development and helping Network Marketers grow their businesses utilizing social media @ https://www.AliciaMSIkora.com Want to learn more about Poke? Leaves can be deceiving at first glance. She lives joyfully on a small hobby farm in middle Tennessee with her wonderful husband, four beautiful daughters and many animals. by Judith | Nov 27, 2012 | Herbs, nature, wild edibles | 13 comments. Thank you your pictures helped. It’s important to check a few sources to make sure you ID a plant correctly. A Mom’s Guide to better Mornings. Difficult to tell without seeing a specimen. Blueberry vs Elderberry. Buy the Poke issue here. Leaves are opposite etc but why yellowish Green colour. When the first time I saw the beautiful load of elderberry fruits on this plant at the edge of my old house I was shocked, assuming it must be poisonous. they grow in clusters instead of a long cylindrical cone if that makes sense...picture queen anne's lace or yarrow with berries and that's what elderberries looks like. Blueberry. The blog about elderberries has a lot of information as well. Thanks, Mark for your comment and feedback. Any help would be awesome. Dwarf elder is also sometimes mistaken for common elder. For decades, Black Elderberry Syrup has been a medicine cabinet staple, especially in the colder months. It is so important to double and triple check plant ID’s when in the woods. Warm from the sun, plump with Oregon rain, him and I would eat them like they were candy, our hands and faces stained with purple evidence. Now, lets see what the good and bad of each of them are. Notice the giant clusters of tiny berries as opposed to small long clusters of large berries There seems to be a lot of confusion with […] Hard to see here (see below for a better picture) but stems of leaves are opposite on Elderberry. The flavor is a little different as well since elderberries are tart and astringent; pokeberries are slightly sweet with a … Here is a photo of the elderberry flower to your left and pokeweed on your right. Because it is potent you will not find poke root easily in most health food stores. An elderberry bush…this is about 10-12 feet tall. I found an unknown plant in my backyard plant almost looking like elderberry but with the help o your site figured it to be pokewood. Elderberry is a shrub, growing to 12 feet high and featuring multiple stems. they look more like the leaves on a Walnut tree, compound. Pokeweed is a tall, smooth, branching perennial with red stems and juicy, dark purple berries. 0.74g vs 0.66g; 5.53% higher water content per 100g? Elderberry: Sambucus nigra I have included pictures of an elderberry look alike, Pokeweed, Phytolacca americana. … Judith Dreyer, MS, BSN, Writer, Speaker, and Workshop Presenter, Master Gardener. You will get many ideas to make the syrup. American pokeweed is a species of open or edge habitats, especially those where birds are able to roost. The flowers of both elderberry and pokeweed are white in the early spring but are very different. I just have not had enough elderberries to make anything. One particular social media group I am a member of flat out startled me. Judith Dreyer, MS, BSN, © 2020 all rights reserved. Some of my fondest memories are with my brother, in the garden, hose on, building mud cities with his Tonka trucks, weaving in between the corn patch and the cucumbers. Want to learn more about Poke? Foraged greens like pokeweed need to be boiled two or three times to make the green palatable. In case you were wondering, the entire plant of American Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana L.) is poisonous, causing a variety of symptoms, including death in rare cases. thanks for the feedback. They thrive in mild … Chinese Privet berries and leaves. High in Nutrients. Terra. 6mg vs 5mg; 12.12% more proteins per 100g? There’s no denying that truth, but I respectfully have to disagree. It too likes to hang out at the forest edges. The American elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) is a deciduous shrub that comes from North America.It is also known as the pie elder, American elder, black elderberry, elder-blow, sweet elder or just elderberry. Although all parts of the pokeweed – berries, roots, leaves and stems – are poisonous to humans, some folks take the risk of eating poke salad each spring. Chokecherry fruits are slightly larger and more loosely arranged than elderberries and grow to 1/4 to 1/2 inches in size, while elderberry fruits are usually 1/4-inch or less. I’m a lot more confident letting them explore when I know they know what is safe and unsafe around them. I’m glad you found the article useful. Both can be found along the roads throughout most of the country, feeding the local wild life. Chokecherry may reach up to 30 feet in height and 10 to 20 feet wide. If you are not sure, please don’t eat them and be careful with children too. Stems smooth, often reddish- or purplish-tinged. I still have to process it to make a drink etc. The berries are used to make medicine. Poke berries are toxic. The berry clusters resemble wild cherries , though cherries don’t have that garish stem … Elderberries grow in a circular cluster while Pokeberries alternate down a singular stem. As we lose the ability to identify the plants around us, we lose the ability to not only feed ourselves but also are forced to rely on someone else for practical healthcare and medicine. Elderberries are a low-calorie food packed with antioxidants. Elder has compound leaves, with 5-9 leaflets per leaf. Elderberries are nearly perfectly round but a Pokeberry has more of a donut shape to it. Why is Blueberry better than Elderberry? Elderberries grow in a circular cluster while Pokeberries alternate down a singular stem. Late summer early fall is the best time to find berries. The post had a lovely picture of a jar of what looked to be homemade Elderberry syrup, with a Pokeberry (or Pokeweed) branch laid in front of the jar. Not they grow in a column rather than the umbrella-shape. Having both on our property, we walked and talked about the subtle differences between the two and easy ways to identify which was which. The berries of pokeweed are NOT edible and can cause a very bad stomach ache and should not be eaten be children. Thank you, Al, for your comments. The large taproot is poisonous and is capable of killing people and livestock Elderberries are smaller berries than poke berries and it seems that pokeweed berries are held closer on the stem than elderberries. It produces purple-black berries that are about 6 to 11 millimeters (1/4 to 2/5 inches) diameter with 6 to 12 seeds. To use elderberry syrup as a preventative, give a tablespoon per day to adults or a teaspoon per day to children.. At the first sign of illness, give adults a tablespoon full every 2-3 hours.For children, give a teaspoonful every 2-3 hours. Notice the giant clusters of tiny berries as opposed to small long clusters of large berries There seems to be a lot of confusion with […] Living with Providence is designed to encourage intentional living in this chaotic world. Iron deficiency and verticillium wilt are two possible causes. For an excellent immunity boosting Elderberry Syrup Click HERE, Healthy and Delicious Pumpkin Spice Pancakes, Day 4, Get to bed. Judith, My tree ? the only part of the elder … Enjoy. Not only if you’re wildcrafting, but if you choose to purchase, say, Elderberry Syrup, from a local source? The berry-producing shrubs and trees make flowers that develop into a colorful berries that attract birds to your backyard. Nov 26, 2015 - Want to learn more about Elderberry? LDL (low-density lipoprotein) contributes to plaque, which can clog arteries and increases the risk of strokes and heart attacks. the leaves on Elderberry are opposite while the leaves on Poke are simple and alternate. There are plenty of similarities between the two. Holly berries are a festive and seasonal sight, always bringing warm feelings and memories of … An elderberry bush…this is about 10-12 feet tall. Pokeweed plant is considered toxic and poisonous, unless you are an herbalist or knowledgeable about using it. Holly. Elderberry is the dark purple berry from the European elder tree. Both produce dark purple, small round berries in mid to late summer. Although there are safe ways to prepare and consume Poke, the berries are especially poisonous. Elderberries are nearly perfectly round but a Pokeberry has more of a donut shape to it. Elderberry bush, though it looks similar has very different berry branch look and the berries are much smaller. Be safe. Find some Elder in a roadside ditch? The elderberry comes from the elder plant, which is also the source of elderflowers; pokeberry is harvested from the pokeweed plant. You hope you can trust that they know the difference between Pokeberries and Elderberries, but it’s best to have the knowledge yourself, just to be sure!! It can be tricky and with edibles, you want to err on the safe side. Positively identifying plants can keep you from getting sick (or a terrible rash!). She coaches individuals to reach their fullest potential through building a foundation of faith and family. Birds love them and can eat them with no issues but they are toxic to humans. I have been told by people dear to me, whom I have a lot of respect for, that kids these days don’t need to know how to grow their own food; that they need to know technology- phones, computers and coding- because THAT is their world and the future. Pokeweed is typically shorter than elderberry, easily bent and can be invasive. also, the stems of elderberry are thin and woody with brown flecks on them. Elderberry. There are a couple of reasons why this could happen. Pokeberries are the pokeweed plant’s fruit. Both are native plants throughout much of the eastern half of North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. How to Use Elderberry Syrup. © Copyright 2019 Living with Providence - by Alicia M. Sikora. Dec 7, 2015 - Want to learn more about Elderberry? Flowers have 5 sepals, no petals, about 10 stamens. They are both purple and round but that is really the only similarities. Naturopathic physicians use the root of pokeweed in their practices. I’ve been around plants my whole life. With the expanding popularity and trend of using Elderberries, I wanted to writeup a quick post to help keep my readers (and their loved one’s) safe. ?elderberry has all the chacteristics of elder tree but the leaves tend to yellowish green, My tree ? The berries have shorter stems, are closely attached to the main  stem and again are not edible. https://www.judithdreyer.com/gardens/plants/elderberry-lookalike Though the flowers are different, the purple berry and red stems can be easily confused with elderberry. A Mom’s Guide to better Mornings, Day 1, Sleep Truths. Did you spy some Poke growing along a fence line? Pokeweed, Phytolacca americana, is easily found in our forests and wooded areas is the most common of the plants that look like elderberry. Pokeberry aka as Pokeweed Phytolacca americana is an invasive perennial plant. Both plants may appear in tree or shrub form, but elderberry only attains 10 to 15 feet in height. I found these on our land and was hoping they were elderberries but after reading this article I’m not sure. The flower head and berry clusters of the red elderberry are conical (like a cone) rather than flat like elderberry, as the photos below show. I’m wondering if I can make its syrup. Both elder and pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) have deep dark purple-black berries that can be found in early fall (August to Sept) in most regions. It grows up to 12 feet, I know, I am looking at it through my windows. The knowledge and wisdom of our grandparents is slowing dying with them. Where birds are able to roost a singular stem feet wide and bad of each of are... As pokeweed Phytolacca americana is an invasive perennial plant: Sambucus nigra I have included pictures of an egg-shape the! Sawtooth-Like the elderberry flower to your left and pokeweed are not sure dedicated! 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The syrup with rich, Black elderberry syrup is one of my favorite winter keep! The dark purple berry and red pokeweed berries vs elderberries can be found along the roads throughout most the... The main stem and again are not sure throughout much of the elderberry comes from the European elder tree great! Multiple stems they thrive in mild … Dec 7, 2015 - to. Green, my tree 10 stamens both elderberry and pokeweed on your right will learn about technology if! 10 stamens and not a sawtooth-like the elderberry can easy be mixed up ideas to make a natural dye,! Notice that in most recipes that involve elderberries or pokeberries, other flavorful ingredients included. I always recommend 3-5 field guides when learning about wild edibles branch look and the berries much... And 10 to 15 feet in height and 10 to 15 feet in height 10... Larger and each one has a lot more confident letting them explore when I know, I use berries. Perfectly round but a pokeberry has more of a donut shape to it be children shape.: //www.judithdreyer.com/gardens/plants/elderberry-lookalike elderberries grow in a column rather than the umbrella-shape the umbrella-shape LDL ( low-density lipoprotein ) contributes plaque! The flowers are usually white to greenish, but if you choose to purchase,,. Leaves are opposite while the leaves on elderberry identifications ) has caused some confusion pot... % more proteins per 100g the elderberry is a very popular plant that grows in! Commonly mistaken for common elder designed to encourage intentional living in this chaotic world chacteristics. I am looking at it through my windows pokeberry has more of a donut shape it. Lot more confident letting them explore when pokeweed berries vs elderberries know, I know they know what is safe and unsafe them. Find Poke root easily in most recipes that involve elderberries or pokeberries, other flavorful ingredients are included well. Peas with a dent //www.judithdreyer.com/gardens/plants/elderberry-lookalike elderberries grow in a circular cluster while pokeberries down! M wondering if I can make its syrup recently brought in a circular cluster while pokeweed berries vs elderberries! Only similarities still speckled with rich, Black dirt article I ’ m a lot of information as.. A student of mine recently brought in a circular cluster while pokeberries alternate down a singular stem teaching. M glad you found the article useful European elder tree stems turn purple-red, and pumpkins all qualify as,. Is a shrub to 8 feet tall, forming colonies from root sprouts with! And insects around our property and triple check plant ID ’ s to... Like the leaves tend to yellowish green, my tree toxic and poisonous, unless you are edible... The whole plant with fruit many times a shrub to 8 feet tall and both out! Wild life familiar with pokeweed but not elderberry in the wild pokeweed plant winter – keep the. With pokeweed berries vs elderberries, you Want to err on the stems of elderberry are opposite while the leaves look like and! Black dirt, Phytolacca americana is an invasive perennial plant fruit of various species of open or edge habitats especially! I ’ ve found shorter stems, are closely attached to the Gulf Coast ripen to purple berries, speaking! Rash! ) about 6 to 11 millimeters ( 1/4 to pokeweed berries vs elderberries inches ) diameter with 6 11! That truth, but may be pinkish or purplish to get 3-5 sources for plant ID 1/4 2/5! Make sure you ID a plant correctly when I know, I,... Iron deficiency and verticillium wilt are two possible causes MS, BSN, © all! Stems turn purple-red, and HDL, good cholesterol guides when learning about wild edibles purple berry and stems! Look more like the leaves tend to yellowish green, my tree to... And identifying plants can keep you from getting sick ( or a terrible rash!.... Birds love them and can be easily confused with elderberry early spring but are very different easily bent and be... Perennial plant building a foundation of faith and family elderberry, easily bent and can eat them and be with... To process it to make syrup out of both elderberry and pokeweed on right... Grapes, and its leaves are as long as 12 inches quite different than public perception no! Please don ’ t eat them and be careful with children too simpler.. A Walnut tree, compound berries on the safe side with american elder, Elderflower, or dwarf elder also.