Plant id

[bookbook]

I hope someone knows what this is? I admit I don't. Its not in my garden. Its about 3 ft high, comes back every year in this persons garden .
Its going to be something really obvious, isn't it ?

Seems we have found it.
Just in case anyone is interested .
Its pokeweed -Phytolacca americana

What an amazing looking thing!!

We have some in our garden and when we were in France they had loads growing wild all over the place.

Non edible though so please don't try the berries! [As if you would...just in case...]

It is a bit alien looking, isn't it. This is the close up of the berries. Read up that its quite poisonous , but birds love the berries - Is it invasive Doreen ?

They look like tiny miniature blackcurrant jellies on a stick!

I read that the young leaves and shoots can be eaten but the old ones are poisonous. Eek! Not sure I'd be a willing guinea pig to test 'how old is too old'

Did you not recognise it either shove - I was clueless! It wasn't in my RHS guide as a picture, only as a description, so it wasn't until someone else piped up that I found it .
It seems they do eat it in America - but no not for me either- those berries look a bit too enticing for children I think for me to have any in my garden

No, I didn't recognise it at all!! I love it when there is a thread that introduces me to a new plant - and my knowledge is hardly encyclopaedic, so this happens a lot!

No not invasive; ours has been there for about 5 years and the plant is bigger [it dies back each year] but no new plants or runners or seedlings at all.