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Pokeweed: The Berry and Shoot Look-alike to Know
These look-alikes can make you seriously ill. Get the identification right before you eat anything. Pokeweed has dark purple berries on a bright magenta stalk and is toxic raw. The berries are mistaken for elderberries, blackberries, and mulberries, and the spring shoots for other greens. Note the single thick stalk, the hanging berry racemes, and the pink color.
Edibles people confuse with these
If you are foraging any of these, rule out the look-alikes above every time.
The notes above are an educational starting point, not a substitute for a field guide or an experienced forager. If you are not completely certain, do not eat it.
