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Weed Identification in Christmas Trees

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Pokeweed - Phytolacca americana L.
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Pokeweed plant
Pokeweed plant.


Life cycle: Multistemmed, shrublike perennial.

Leaves: Opposite, narrow oval to oblong leaves have round to pointed tips and entire margins, and attach directly to the stem. Leaves are covered with small, transparent dots when viewed against the light.

Stems: Erect with numerous branches and up to 3 feet tall. Herbaceous stems are often reddish in color and become woody at the base with maturity.

Flowers and fruit: Bright yellow to orange-yellow flowers with five petals are approximately 0.75 inch wide, often with several black dots along the petal margins. Fruit are capsules with three cells containing numerous dark brown to black, cylinder-shaped seeds.

Reproduction: Seeds and short runners.
Common St. Johnswort young plant Common St. Johnswort petal margin Transparent dots on Common St. Johnswort
Young common St. Johnswort plant. Black dots along the petal margin of common St. Johnswort. Transparent dots on common St. Johnswort leaf.
The MSU IPM Program maintains this site as an access point to pest management information at MSU. The IPM Program is administered within the Department of Entomology, fueled by research from the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, delivered to citizens through MSU Extension, and proud to be a part of Project GREEEN.
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02/07/08