The Blue Ridge Parkway outside of Asheville, NC, has many pull-off spots to view the incredible Great Smoky Mountains. At this spot, I saw a thick growth of what is called American Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana), aka Dragonberries or Pigeonberry. Quite a contrast in common names! This native is also known as Inkberry as the red berries were used as an ink. The entire plant is poisonous to humans and other mammals while a food source for many birds. However, people have eaten the leaves for centuries after learning to boil the young leaves multiple times before consuming them. Read more here. Copyright 2024 Pamela BreitbergThe prolific show of American Pokeberrys ripening attracted me to this otherwise overall green scene. My camera details for these photos showed it was taken along the Mountains-to-Sea Trail; an alternative hike to the Appalachian Trail. Learn about this trail here. I arrived via the Blue Ridge Parkway with our car; but it seems it’s also a popular hiking location as well. Copyright 2024 Pamela Breitberg
