Phytolacca americana

The American pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) is a species of the genus of Pokeweed.

The American Pokeweed is a perennial shrub that reaches a height of one to two meters. Her strong and furrowed stem grows erect, the base can become woody something. The branches are reddish and forked branches. The leaves are arranged in alternate and stalked. The leaf blade is ovate-lanceolate and dull-green color. When inflorescences upright bunches are formed. The individual flowers are hermaphrodite and have a five fold perianth. The bracts are broad-ovate and greenish to pale pink color. Flowering is from July to September. The egg-shaped, wrinkled fruits are ten times black-dyed purple clustered and cover the stem.

Use
The berries have been used to in France, Spain and Portugal used to color of red wine. The red juice has sugar for coloring paints, as not very lightfast textile dye and used as little permanent ink. The dye betacyanins similar to the Red beets.

Boiled young shoots and leaves were eaten like asparagus before and spinach, boiled and used fruit as a cooking ingredient. From the rootstock can be obtained soap.

Raw or unfinished boiled plant parts are poisonous because they contain strong mucous membrane irritant saponins and toxic lectins. The consumption leads to vomiting, bloody diarrhea, dizziness, and hypotension. In severe cases, seizures occur, which can lead to death by respiratory paralysis.

In North America, Phytolacca americana earlier than crushing and used laxatives. It was used for rheumatism and other autoimmune diseases, glandular swelling, ulcer, bronchitis and cancer. The dried roots and berries have analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti rheumatic, auswurffördernde and narcotic effect. The application in the field of antiviral therapy for influenza, polio and HIV infection is being investigated (as of 2000). In homeopathy, she is employed as a remedy for tonsillitis and arthritis and against flu.

Source: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amerikanische_Kermesbeere
See Also: sending flowers, online florist