Hello Janese

Yes this is pokeweed. I am sorry to hear you experienced a rash from these plants. Protect your skin when working around the plants, and wash clothing and gloves when done.

Pokeweed is a perennial so, you should dig out the roots or treat with a chemical herbicide, giving the herbicide time to work before removing the dead top sections.

Hoeing and cultivation will kill young seedlings.

The plant can germinate from seed, so using a pre-emergent can help kill seedlings.

Do not let the seed fall to the ground; if seed develops and you cannot pull the whole plant, at least clip off the flowers and seedheads and discard in the trash- do not compost.

Treating individual plants with the herbicides with the active ingredient of glyphosate or triclopyr can be effective. Glyphosate is a nonselective herbicide that will kill both broadleaf plants and grasses. Triclopyr is a selective broadleaf herbicide and will not injure most grasses. These herbicides can be applied to the foliage or to the cut stump after manually removing the stalk.

Remember to leave treated plants or stalks standing for 10-14 days so the herbicide has time to travel completely through the root system.

Few postemergence herbicides are registered for use in ornamental plantings, so make sure selected products are labeled for use at the site to be treated. Most garden centers have several brands with these active ingredients.

It may take multiple treatments to control these plants; the seeds from previous years can remain active and birds will carry fresh seed into the area.

Please read and follow all precautions and directions when using any garden product.

Here is more information:

https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74173.html

https://www.canr.msu.edu/weeds/extension/common-pokeweed