Tony Joe White - Polk Salad Annie

Poke is a familiar plant to anyone paying attention in Indiana. It's a tall plant when it's healthy, with showy red stem and bright red berries contrasted against green foliage. And as an adult plant, it has significant toxicity, even to the extent of being fatal, if enough is eaten or the one eating is less robust by reason of age (late or early) or infirmity. If'n you don't die, whatever you ate will be coming back out quickly, one way or another.

But less widely known is that poke is a traditional food in Appalachia. Rumor has it that the flavor is fantastic, and it could be that the feeling of danger adds a touch of fun, similar to fugu. Harvest is best done in the spring.