The two most intriguing characteristics of pokeweed are its fast growth rate and its unusual berries. Its fast growth rate is a given considering that, despite dying down to ground level in winter, it is able to achieve a height of as much as 10 feet under the right conditions (in the southeastern United States) by late summer. Not only are its berries attractive, but they have also been used as ink (thus the common name of "inkberry") and as a dye.