Re: poke was: terms/hollyhock?? OT Poke

> From: Pamela J. Evans <gardenqueen@gbronline.com>
>  We don't seem to get that here.  Does it not like heat or clay
soil??
----------

Pam, as far as I can observe, it will grow anywhere; loves clay and
thrives on heat.  Just count yourself incredibly lucky if you don't
have this weed.  It is, I must say, a majestic plant and I can well
see why it is considered ornamental by those who are not over run
with it.  Can get upwards of 12' - 13' feet tall; foliage turns red
in fall; red stained stems; black berries...AVOID IT LIKE THE PLAGUE
IT IS!

I have dug roots as big around as my arm, going down 3' or more. 
Birds love the berries (Cardinals get drunk on them in fall) and
spread the seeds all over.  Impossible to pull after seedling stage;
any bit of root re-sprouts.  When I cleared my woods for the deer
fence, the next spring the ground was literally covered in seedlings
- along with wild grape...I have never seen so many, proving that the
seedbank in the soil has a long life.  Spent all last season digging
out seedlings and know I will have several more years of the same
before I get rid of it.  Will flower and set seed at a very early
age.  A menace akin to garlic mustard IMO.

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@hort.net
Editor:  Gardening in Shade
-----------------------------------------------
Current Article: Wild, Wonderful Aroids Part 3 - Amorphophallus
http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/shade_gardening
------------------------------------------------
Complete Index of Articles by Category and Date
http://mtalt.hort.net/article-index.html
------------------------------------------------
All Suite101.com garden topics :
http://www.suite101.com/topics.cfm/635

---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE GARDENCHAT
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index