Tropical Pokeweed
Phytolacca icosandra
- Native to:
- Belize, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panamá, Peru, Puerto Rico, Trinidad-Tobago, United States
Dick Culbert (www.flickr.com) from Gibsons, B.C., Canada
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Phytolaccaceae
- Genus:
- Phytolacca
- Species:
- Phytolacca icosandra
- USDA Symbol:
- PHIC
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 300 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun,Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep
- Bloom Colors:
- white, pink, green
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- prefers fertile soils in native range
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–90 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–42 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate best with light exposure and warm temperatures after cold stratification.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI