pokeweed painting
Debbie, over at Plot 55 and her little ladies (she has a beautiful pair of ladies too) did some pokeweed painting a few weeks ago. We have this lovely misplaced plant growing in our gardens to make a beautiful bright pink dye for wool, cotton and paper; but we have never painted with it (duh!). I did a little research and learned that Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) is also referred to as “inkberry.” It turns out that the Declaration of Independence was written in fermented pokeberry juice and many letters written home during the Civil War were written in pokeberry ink. There are also many medicinal qualities of this plant, but only an experienced herbalist should use it because it is highly toxic when misused.
Fauna has really been into learning cursive lately and wanted to practice writing her name with pokeberry juice. We just mashed up a handful of berries with our mortar and pestle, then added about 2 tablespoons of water and it was ready to go. What a beautiful color the inkberry made!
I don’t advise making inkberry with preschoolers or small children that would be tempted to put these beautiful juicy berries in their mouths! Now to go stain some paper with it!
By the way we are all feeling better today; but Araina is now breaking out in the Roseola rash, at least the high fevers are over and I now know what the virus is that has made its way into our little abode! Fauna and I must have drank over a gallon (each) of our super herb tea with elderberry syrup yesterday, trying to scare away those virus germs (I’m not too worried about catching roseola though)! Thanks again for the well wishes. 
I’ve been photographing pokeweed at Wildwood and didn’t know what it was! It’s lovely…the berries are so, so pretty.
I love visiting your blog, I learn so much. If you go to Georgia…will we have similar plants? I bet not.
Don’t go, neighbor!!!!
I’ve been inspired to go hunt in my own yard! Thanks!
What do you know! We have lots of that growing on the fence between our yard and the horse pasture and I never knew what it was! I think I spy an activity in the making. Thanks!
Very cool that the Declaration was written with it! It totally makes since they used it to write letters during the war.
The history behind the uses of pokeberry ink are fascinating ~ who knew? LOL
The color is a brilliant red ~ very cool
Hmmmmm…. as usual, our plants around here are much different than yours, but what a great idea to mash some things up to see what color of paints and dyes we can come up with!
Thanks so much, as usual!
Wow, it is a beautiful pink color! I love the history of it! I’m glad you are working through the virus you have. Thank you again for sharing your knowledge. It’s always a pleasure reading your posts.
Pokeberry painting! Now that’s something new to me. Does it fade with time?
Good to know that your little one’s feeling a wee bit better.
-Juanita
Great inkberry work!
well, how cool is that? i had no idea! we have a few more years before we can delves into the inkberries. that color is gorgeous. do you dye cloth with it? care to elaborate?
Glad Rainy is feeling better… catching up on reading your posts. I’ll have to keep our eyes open for pokeberry. What an interesting name.
Looks like you all had some fun with this! Thank you for the link – it makes a sweet circle right back to you and your elderberries – love that.
I’m glad to hear Araina is feeling better…
Wow, your blog looks so new since I last came to visit!
What a fun activity it reminds me of when we made watercolor paints with flowers!
Glad to hear you are feeling a bit better!
Painting with pokeberry! Fabulous idea. Now, I just need to find some pokeberry….
poor babe!
the berry inking is so cool! i love nature based dyes!
nicola
http://whichname.blogspot.com
we have tons of pokeberry in our woods and all over. It is wonderful for dye thats for sure. you can also put it in coldcream for some face painintg, just avoid mouth and eyes.
Oh, roseola–bleh! Willow had that when she was about nine months old, just after we’d found out from her pediatrician that her lead level was high and I had to fly back to my parents’ house with her for a couple of weeks while Matt and some friends sealed off and scoured our rental (what a nightmare! And the rental company was awful about it!). Anyway, I was worried about that, and stressed about living with my parents for a couple of weeks and caring for the baby by myself, and then she gets this AWFUL rash!!! And a fever!!! And I call Matt, and I’m all, “The baby is falling apart!”
She turned out fine, of course.
Glad you’re all feeling better. We used to have these bushes growing in the back when we lived in Pasadena, MD. We were children then and didn’t know what they were, but I remember the mean boys who smashed them all over the little blonde girl’s hair. And I remember the boy who was stung in the eye because he yanked some off a bush where a bee’s nest was. Always loved the color though. Thanks for sharing your great herbal lore with us. xxoo
I LOVE the color of that inkberry! Glad you’re all feeling a bit better.