Phytolacca acinosa Roxb.

Agriculture - Forestry

Common Name

Pokeweed, Indian Poke, Sweet Belladonna, Sarangun, Matazor, 商陆, 白母鸡, 土人参

Cultivation

Culture/Religious

Desirable Plant Features

Diseases

Edible Parts

Edible Fruits

Edible Leaves

Family Name

Phytolaccaceae

Fauna Pollination Dispersal Associated Fauna

Bird Attracting

Flower & Plant Sexuality 1

Bisexual Flowers

Flower Colour(s)

White

Flowering Period

Food: Fruit & Vegetable

Fruit & Vegetable

Food: Fruit & Vegetable Description

Young leaves cooked and eaten as vegetable. Avoid older leaves, which are toxic. Young shoots used as asparagus substitute, said to possess excellent flavour. Roots soaked and rinsed repeatedly before being cooked -- only those from white-flowered forms are edible, as roots from reddish-purple flowers are reported to be toxic. Aromatic fruits eaten. Medicinal

Growth Characteristics

Full Sun

Moderate Water

Bird-Attracting Plant

Growth Form

Herbaceous shrub, up to 1.5m height when grown in ground.

Herb and Spice Description

Lifespan (in Singapore)

Perennial

Light Preference

Full Sun

Maintenance Requirements

Mature Fruit Colour(s) - Angiosperms and Gymnosperms

Black

Purple

Maximum Height

0.5 m to 1.5 m

Medicinal

Plant contains anti-inflammatory agents and antiviral proteins, being investigated as potential anti-AIDS drug. Roots applied to boils and sores, and consumed to treat urinary disorders and abdominal distension. Whole plant considered to be toxic, so never use plant for self-medication without proper medical supervision. Products

Native Distribution

Bhutan, India, China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Indochina

Others

Red ink obtained from fruits.

Plant & Rootzone Preference - Tolerance

Plant Characteristics

Fruit or Vegetable

Herbaceous Plant

Herb or Spice

Plant Growth

Herbaceous Plant

Plant Growth Rate

Planting Distance From

Pollination Method(s)

Potential Problems

Preferred Climate Zone

Sub-Tropical / Monsoonal

Propagation Method

Seed or Spore Germination Duration From

Specialised Storage Organ(s)

Timber & Products

Water Preference

Moderate Water