Quick facts
- Upright pokeweed is a potentially invasive species.
- It invades road and railway edges, urban green spaces, disturbed areas, and densely shaded woods, including pines.
CAUTION: All parts of the plant are toxic to mammals when eaten if they are not properly prepared.
Upright pokeweed should be reported. Several clear images of the flowers or seeds, along with the leaves, are most important for identification. Please report directly to EDDMapS.
How to identify upright pokeweed
- Upright pokeweed (Phytolacca acinosa) is also known as Indian pokeweed and is native to Nepal and East Asia.
- It is a medium-sized (1.5 to 5 feet tall) herbaceous plant with ascending branches that spreads through human introduction and seeds.
- Upright pokeweed can be confused with native American pokeweed (Phytolacca americana), particularly as the flowers first emerge and before American pokeweed flowers start to droop.
Leaves
- Large, papery, elliptical to circular.
- 4-12 inches in length and 1.5-6 inches in width.
- American pokeweed leaves are narrower, sword-shaped to narrowly egg-shaped.
Flowers
- Upright, densely flowered spike or raceme usually shorter than the leaves.
- Petals are white or yellowish green and anthers are pink.
- Flowers and fruit can be on the plant at the same time from July through November.
- American pokeweed flower stalks droop down after early emergence, and flowers are widely spaced.
Fruit
- Upright fruit stalk.
- Individual purple to black berries that are wider than they are thick and about ¼ inch in diameter.
- Individual fruit is distinctly segmented when ripe.
- Flowers and fruit can be on the plant at the same time from July through November.
- American pokeweed fruit is on drooping stalks, and individual berries are round and not segmented.
Stems
- Thick, upright.
- Often green or reddish-purple.
Roots
- Thick, fleshy.
- Inverted or cone-shaped.
How it spreads
Upright pokeweed is spread by humans and through seeds.
In Minnesota, it’s been reported in moderate to dense shade, disturbed areas, and under a pine canopy with thick pine needles on the forest floor.
It has medicinal properties, and some cultures eat properly processed young plants.
CAUTION: All parts of the plant are toxic to humans and mammals if not processed correctly. The bright, noticeable berries are poisonous.
Prevention
Do not plant upright pokeweed.
Management
Upright pokeweed is a perennial, and while hand pulling can be effective in small populations, large populations will likely need chemical control for effective management.
American pokeweed, also called common pokeweed (Phytolacca americana), is closely related. It is invasive in Europe and is considered a weed in agricultural systems in the United States.
Other resources
See a side-by-side comparison of upright and American pokeweed from Authentic Wisconsin.
To learn more about chemical controls for upright pokeweed, see Controlling Common Pokeweed (PDF, 2019) from Michigan State University.
- How to tell upright pokeweed from American pokeweed, Authentic Wisconsin. https://www.authenticwisconsin.com/indian_pokeweed.html
- Kreevich, N., and B. Miller. Plant Profile: Phytolacca acinosa. Internal document. Plant Collection team at the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. 2026.
- Neblea, M. A., Marian, M. C., and Aydin, T. (2025). A Comprehensive Review of the Invasive Species Phytolacca acinosa Roxb. Sustainability, 17(11), Article 4826. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17114826
- Wisconsin Weed Look-alike: Pokeweeds (PDF, 2024). Renz Weed Science Lab, University of Wisconsin–Madison.
Reviewed in 2026