This is the root of Pokeweed (Pyhtolacca americana) which my neighbor told me was poisonous. I'l have a lot of it and was worried about the kids maybe eating some of the berries. I was ready to wage war on it.

Then I learned that is a valued medicinal plant with all sorts of uses.

Now I'm going to be making some tinctures and salves with it. I also gathered several pounds of seeds from it.

To loosely quote Emerson: A weed is just a plant whose virtues have not been discovered yet.

#homestead #medicinalplants #plants #permies