# What exactly is a 'poke-cherry'? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 29, 2022, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-poke-cherry/967089 "2022-06-29T04:55:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2022, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-poke-cherry/967089/21 "2022-06-29T15:51:45Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Sounds like survival food at best. It is. And my grandmother and her siblings (who I was very familiar with poke from) were the children of sharecroppers in the 1920s. They called “survival food” “food”. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2022, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-poke-cherry/967089/22 "2022-06-29T15:51:49Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > even after reading Euell Gibbons the other day Ah yes, I’ve gone hiking with him and eating things along the way. Nearly 50 years ago, though. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2022, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-poke-cherry/967089/23 "2022-06-29T15:54:19Z")
Yep, I’m only familiar with poke sallet from my Appalachian elderly relatives (i.e. the ones who were elderly when I was young, meaning they were born in the latter half of the 19th century up through the early 20th), I have never deigned to try eating it, but it was certainly something mountain folk had no qualms about. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2022, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-poke-cherry/967089/24 "2022-06-29T16:22:14Z")
> [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > There are few weeds in my experience that spread as prolifically and are as difficult to kill off as pokeweed. They grow a monstrous taproot, and if you cut them down without removing it they will keep growing back, but the taproot is also a nightmare to dig up. They also spread like wildfire. Oh boy, yes, all of this. I had one that I let go one year and it was a huge plant, way taller than me and big all around. It’s amazing how big it got in one summer. That was probably 8 or 10 years ago now and I STILL have to cut it down, I just did it 2 weeks ago and filled half a yardwaste bag. One spring, I put an opaque black planter over the new shoots and weighted it down with some bricks. I peeked under it a few times, the stems were very pale and twisted but that year of no grown didn’t kill it and it came right back the next spring. I’m sure that root is down there plotting another comeback. That said, it’s quite a pretty plant. Large leaves, reddish fleshy limbs, striking glossy berry clusters. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2022, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-poke-cherry/967089/25 "2022-06-29T17:07:29Z")
> [@Napier](#): > > At dinner, Ms. Napier served a big salad which we both enjoyed. Then she told me it was the pokeweed. > > I nervously waited to get sick, or hear that she felt sick, knowing that if I told her I’d sprayed it, she would get hysterical. I never felt anything wrong, and she never suggested she felt funny either. Poke Salad is a thing: > **[Pokeweed: How to Prepare "Poke Salad" - Wild Abundance](https://www.wildabundance.net/blog/pokeweed/)** > > Pokeweed is a nutritional powerhouse, but can be toxic if it's not prepared with caution. Here's a detailed recipe of how to make "poke salad" safely. Note that you’re supposed to cook it, not eat it raw. Also from that article: > [@](#): > > The common name, poke, comes from a word for “blood” or “dye” in a language indigenous to North America (probably Powhatan or Virginia Algonquin). That’s because pokeweed’s bright berries can be used to make dye when they’re ripe. Which jibes with what has already been posted. And finally: can’t mention poke salad without mentioning this: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/u4csFnpZXek/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AHOBIACgAOKAgwIABABGGUgSyhRMA8=&rs=AOn4CLCw9ipZyiaRP6jD-00qcGGI1H3uxQ "Elvis Presley - Polk Salad Annie Live (High Quality)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4csFnpZXek) ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2022, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-poke-cherry/967089/26 "2022-06-29T17:27:25Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > can’t mention poke salad without mentioning this: Came for this. Was not disappointed. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2022, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-poke-cherry/967089/27 "2022-06-29T17:38:14Z")
> **[26 Types of Red Berries Growing on Trees and Shrub - EatHappyProject](https://www.eathappyproject.com/26-types-of-red-berries-growing-on-trees-and-shrub/)** > > Are you a fan of red berries? Whether you are a gardening enthusiast looking who likes rare flowers or looking for the best to grow in your little piece of It could be almost any of them. I would go with red chokecherries. There were everywhere when I lived on the farm, and they produced a nice red warpaint-like stain if you crushed them. Everyone knew not to eat them. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2022, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-poke-cherry/967089/28 "2022-06-29T18:01:57Z")
Choke-cherries are edible. They’re astingent and a bit sour, though. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2022, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-poke-cherry/967089/29 "2022-06-29T20:26:40Z")
No mention of polk salad Annie? A hit performed by Tony Joe White. Elvis sang it in concerts. Johnny mentions using the berries for war paint. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vkYVWA6yzY) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2022, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-poke-cherry/967089/30 "2022-06-29T20:41:28Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > No mention of polk salad Annie? A hit performed by Tony Joe White. Elvis sang it in concerts. There’s a big embedded link to it four posts prior to yours. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2022, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-poke-cherry/967089/31 "2022-06-29T20:45:16Z")
I must have scrolled past it. Johnny mentions smashing the berries on his sisters back. Another source that mentions kids playing with it. Now, what the heck is a poke sack? Annie collected poke salad in a poke sack. I found poke sack references to the Civil War. This seems fairly authentic. > **[Canvas Poke Sack / Ration Bag - starting at $4.00 (PHC012)](https://dellsleatherworks.com/canvas-poke-sack-ration-bag-starting-at-4-00-phc012/)** > > Canvas Ration Bags with Hemp Cord Pull Strings ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2022, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-poke-cherry/967089/32 "2022-06-30T01:19:23Z")
Okay, we’ve covered painting with pokeberry juice. What about this? When I was a kid we would find leaves on plants with [orange powder](https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=4660&email=yes) on the bottom of them. We would pick the leaves and press them against our skin to make orange, veiny leaf-shaped “tattoos”. Anyone else do this? ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2022, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-poke-cherry/967089/33 "2022-06-30T03:46:30Z")
When my brother was 15 years old he made wine by fermenting chokecherries. After aging a month, it was good enough to get a buzz, but only if you could swallow more than a teaspoon at a time. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2022, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-poke-cherry/967089/34 "2022-06-30T03:51:21Z")
My mom would make a cordial-like drink out of them by macerating them in grain alcohol, then bringing the mixture down to under 80 proof with water and simple syrup and aging further, IIRC. You would only do a shot at a time, which made it palatable. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2022, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-poke-cherry/967089/35 "2022-06-30T04:59:18Z")
I might like poke salad if it was seasoned correctly with pork fat and a ham hock. I like turnip greens if the turnips are diced small and seasoned. I find Collard greens more difficult. I’ll eat a few bites to be polite. Spinach is my favorite greens. I usually buy it frozen and season myself. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2022, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-poke-cherry/967089/36 "2022-06-30T17:39:39Z")
I thought greens were to be cooked with a glug of vinegar? ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2022, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-poke-cherry/967089/37 "2022-06-30T18:21:29Z")
I simmer collards a long while, eventually adding some vinegar, bacon, pepper flakes, Tabasco. Damn they’re good! ---
**Author:** ![TimfromNapa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d26b3c/32.png) [@TimfromNapa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimfromNapa)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2022, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-poke-cherry/967089/38 "2022-07-03T20:18:24Z")
I’ve watched a Youtube video on preparing juice from poke berries. While poke leaves and shoots are somewhat toxic if not prepared properly, only the roots are considered highly toxic. The berries are seen as the least toxic. I’m not sure why anyone feels compelled to use them for juice, but I guess some folks just don’t want anything to go to waste. At any rate, the juice from the berries is combined with a generous volume of apple juice. I’m guessing that that is where the flavor comes from in the final product. While I love poke as a vegetable, I’ve not been tempted to do anything with the berries. Let the birds have them. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2022, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-poke-cherry/967089/39 "2022-07-04T15:22:41Z")
Pokeweed roots are the most toxic part of the plant, but it doesn’t take many berries to cause trouble. “Pokeberries are found in grape-like clusters on tall perennials with purple-red stems. Eating several berries can cause pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.” > **[Pokeberries: A Grape Look Alike](https://www.poison.org/articles/pokeberries-and-grapes-look-alike)** > > Pokeberries are found in grape-like clusters on tall perennials with purple-red stems. Eating several berries can cause pain, nausea, vomiti Birds eating fermented pokeweed berries have gotten intoxicated. You don’t want a bunch of drunk birds staggering around your yard, flying into tree trunks etc. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-poke-cherry/967089.md?page=1)