Pokeberries are the fruit of the pokeweed plant, also known as American pokeweed, poke sallet, poke salad, pigeonberry, or inkberry. The berries are purple-black and grow in grape-like clusters on tall perennials with purple-red stems. Although the berries are eaten by many wild animals, all parts of the pokeweed plant, including the berries, roots, leaves, and stems, are poisonous to humans. However, some people still take the risk of eating poke salad each spring by boiling the tender stems and leaves repeatedly to remove the poison. Pokeweed has long been thought to have medicinal value and is being researched as a possible treatment for cancer. Despite its potential benefits, pokeweed is considered unsafe for human consumption and should not be used without proper medical guidance.