Kudzu: The Vine That Just Won't Stop

Kudzu, a perennial vine native to Japan and China, has a history that intertwines with the American landscape, particularly across the southern United States where it has become known as an invasive species.

Kudzu is a perennial vine native to Japan and China that was introduced to the United States in the early 20th century.

Kudzu was initially introduced from Japan to the United States at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition in 1876. Following the exposition, it began to be used ornamentally, particularly in the South, where its purple flowers smelling of grape candy and lavender made it a popular planting choice for beautifying homes.

Kudzu's ability to grow rapidly, thrive in poor soil conditions, and spread by sending out vines and root crowns that establish new growth quickly led to it becoming an invasive species across the American South.

The vines of kudzu have tendrils that wrap around anything they can find, overwhelmed fences, guy wires, and even tree limbs, leading the plant to cover and smother everything in its path. Its resilience is attributed to its rapid climbing ability and its storage of energy in a massive taproot that can reach 12 feet long and weigh up to 400 pounds. As the vine spreads, it sends out roots every foot or so upon touching the ground, forming new root crowns from which more vines grow, resulting in a tangled, dense mat of vegetation that can be several meters deep. ...

The U.S. government's early 20th-century endorsements of kudzu for land rehabilitation spiraled out of control, leading to the vine's proliferation and eventual classification as a noxious weed.

In the 1930s, the U.S. government actively encouraged the planting of kudzu as a way to prevent soil erosion and rehabilitate depleted farmland in the South.

To fight soil erosion and nutrient depletion caused by monoculture farming, the Soil Erosion Service—later the Soil Conservation Service—viewed kudzu as a fitting solution. The government propelled this strategy by instigating programs that financially rewarded farmers for cultivating kudzu on their lands, offering $8 an acre for its integration.

The Soil Erosion Service and Civilian Conservation Corps distributed millions of kudzu seedlings and paid farmers to cultivate the plant, leading to its widespread adoption.

The Civilian Conservation Corps, a component of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal, actively planted kudzu along prospective roadways and other vulnerable areas to preempt erosion concerns. This, paired with the financial incentives, catalyzed the vine's unbridled adoption across the southern United States.

Within a few decades, kudzu had spread far beyond its intended use, overwhelming farms, forests, and infrastructure, leading the gover ...

In the American South, kudzu has not only influenced the environment but also ingrained itself in the cultural fabric and mythology of the region. It has become a complex symbol, simultaneously representing both the resilience of the South and the consequences of unchecked growth.

Kudzu has become deeply embedded in Southern culture and folklore, with the plant becoming a symbol of the region and the subject of numerous tall tales and legends.

Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant explore how kudzu has prompted an abundance of tales, especially among rural Southerners, as it spread across the landscape. The plant's overwhelming presence has contributed to its mythical status. Clark notes that the South may wear the problem of kudzu invasion as a badge of pride, indicative of the cultural significance it has acquired in the region. Clothing items such as shirts dyed with kudzu are sported to display Southern pride, showing how the plant has been embraced as part of the Southern identity.

The podcast hosts also delve into kudzu's influence on the arts, acknowledging poems by significant poets and references in books and movies that have immortalized the plant in Southern culture. The cover of the R.E.M. album "Murmur" famously shows kudzu veiling a train trestle, marking a cultural landmark for Southern music enthusiasts. This image had such an impact that when efforts to save the train trestle eventually covered in kudzu failed and it had to be dismantled, a replica was constructed as part of the Firefly Trail. People now trek to the site of the former trestle simply to take photos, further signifying kudzu's role in the cultural narrative of the South.

Figures like farm editor Channing Cope helped popularize kudzu and promote its benefits, leading to the formation of a "Kudzu Club of America" with thousands of members.

James Dickey, a prominent poet and novelist, penned the poem "Kudzu," and legends in Georgia whimsically warn of the need to shut windows at night to prevent kudzu from creeping into homes. Such folklore reflects the mythology that has grown up around the plant.

Further cementing kudzu’s legendary status was Channing Cope, who use ...

The pervasive plant kudzu has posed significant challenges due to its rapid growth, but various methods are employed to manage its spread. Simultaneously, some efforts have been made to find beneficial uses for kudzu.

While kudzu has proven difficult to eradicate, various methods have been employed to try to manage its spread, including mowing, herbicide application, and physically removing the root crowns.

Farmers, after having previously promoted the plant, have developed methods to kill kudzu which continues to thrive in neglected areas. These methods include consistent mowing, which can kill immature vines and may require a year or two of persistent low mowing to combat mature vines. The immediate approach involves physically digging up root crowns, which lie fairly shallow in the ground; this process does not necessitate the removal of the large tubers that store energy for the plant. Another technique involves cutting a mature vine near the ground and applying an herbicide like crossbow directly onto the cut surface.

Some have sought to find beneficial uses for kudzu, such as using it for food, medicine, and dye, though this has had limited success in curbing the plant's overall impact.

Despite the challenges, kudzu has found roles outside of being an invasive species. For thousands of years, traditional Chinese medicine has harnessed kudzu root for making root tea. The root is used as a food thickener in Japanese dishes such as mochi and to make noodles. Kudzu also provides health-beneficial flavonoids, and its medicinal applications include treating colds, digestion problems, inflammation, cardiovascular disease, and osteoporosis. There are mentions of chefs incorporating kudzu into new southern cuisine and the use of kudzu in crafts, though the success and impact of these uses ...