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habitatmatters.org

Look-alikes:  Invasive Knotweeds and Native Pokeweed
Invasive knotweeds (Fallopia spp.) are commonly confused with the native look-alike, pokeweed (Phytolacca americana).  Below are some quick tips for telling these two species apart.
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 The easiest way to tell the two plants apart is by fruits, or lack thereof.
Invasive knotweeds (left):  very rarely, you can find fruits on knotweed. Fruits dry, are three-winged, about 8-9mm, with dark, glossy seeds. Photo:  Jil Swearingen, NPS
Pokeweed (right):  berries cover the plant in dark, glossy clusters in late summer. These berries are poisonous to humans, though birds value them. Photo:  David Eickhoff
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While leaves can be variable, most knotweeds have rounder leaves than pokeweed.
​Invasive knotweeds (left):  new leaves start out red, turning green with red veins, before becoming completely green. Heart- or spade-shaped. Can be around 12cm long. Photo:  Sarah Green
Pokeweed (right):  leaves are green on top, lighter underneath. Leaves are usually 20-35 centimeters long and oval, tapering on either end of the leaf. Crushed leaves can have an acrid smell.  Photo:  Gianni Careddu
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Living stems can be hard to tell apart (both are hollow), but there are a few clues.
Invasive knotweeds (left):  distinctive purple specks on the stem and obvious nodes where leaves attach, looking somewhat like bamboo.  Mature stems are entirely hollow. Photo:  Ancatdubh43
Pokeweed (right):  pinkish-red stem that starts pale and turns almost magenta. Smooth. Lacks the nodes that knotweed has where leaves branch off. Partially hollow. Photo:  Dalgial
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When stems die back in winter (both wither after a frost), they can be easier to tell apart.
Invasive knotweeds (left):  stems will redden, then die as it turns to winter, turning reddish-brown.  Stems will usually stand through the winter, even with heavy snows. Photo:  Liz Padalino
Pokeweed (right):  plants will die back after the first frost, stems bleaching white over time.  Dead stems are "squishy," nearly always falling down under snow or even just over winter.  Photo:  Gardenista
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Adult plants can look similar, but have slightly different habits to the practiced eye.
Invasive knotweeds (left):  most conspicuous during flowering (pictured). Spread clonally, making large hedge-like clumps or rows with many stems. Photo:  Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture
Pokeweed (right):  most conspicuous during fruiting (pictured).  Spreads by seed, creating many small clumps with just a few stems each that may be somewhat near each other or very far apart. Photo:  JakeC
Want to practice? 
Try out the MISIN Species ID Training Module.
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MISIN Species Identification Training
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Japanese knotweed Best Control Practices

Read the MISIN Fact Sheet

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Contact US

1450 Cass Road
Traverse City, Michigan 49685
-
(231)941 - 0960
Pleasant Peninsula Design, Habitat Matters 2017 
  • Home
  • About
    • About ISN & FAQs
    • Our Team
    • Our Partners
    • ISN Board of Directors
    • Employment
    • Enewsletter
    • Blog - Notes from ISN
    • Donate to ISN
  • Events
  • ID & Report
    • Top 12 Species
    • Early Detection Species
    • Awareness Species
    • Other Invasive Species >
      • Hemlock Woolly Adelgid
      • Aquatic Invasive Species
      • Lymantria Moths (gypsy moth)
    • ID and Reporting Tools
  • Resources
    • Videos
    • Education
    • Tool Library
    • Garlic Mustard Dumpsters
    • Planting Guide/Ordinance Templates
    • Requests For Bids
    • Treatment Information
    • Other Information
    • Native Plant Seeds
    • Invasive Species in the News >
      • ISN in the News
  • Go Beyond Beauty
    • Find Participants >
      • Nurseries/Garden Centers >
        • Bioconcentric Farms
        • Birdsfoot Native Nursery
        • Black Cap Farms
        • Bright Lane Gardens
        • Garden Goods
        • Greystone Gardens
        • Misty Ridge
        • Pine Hill
      • Landscapers/Professionals >
        • Cre Woodard
        • Cyman Gardens
        • Designs in Bloom
        • Greener Earth Landscaping
        • Heritage Landscape Design
        • Inhabitect, LLC
        • Lakeview Habitats
        • Laurel Voran, LLC
        • The Mossy Tree, LLC
        • Old Mission Associates
        • Inner-Coastal
        • Pine Hill
        • Silverman & Company
        • Sustainable Landscape Design, LLC
        • TruNorth Landscaping
        • Wildlife & Wetland Solutions
      • Community Participants
    • GBB Achievement Program
    • Register >
      • Registration Form (Garden Professional)
      • Registration Form (Individual or other org)
      • Start-up Materials
      • GBB Statewide Inquiries
    • Ornamental Invasive Species
    • Native Plant Species
    • Participant Signs
    • Japanese Barberry Trade-Up Day
    • GBB Resources
  • Contact