Kudzu
Nicknamed “the vine that ate the South,” kudzu is a fast-growing perennial vine native to Japan and China. It can grow more than a foot a day, smothering everything in its way. In the southeastern U.S., it has claimed approximately 2 million acres of forest land.
As kudzu spreads, it kills the plants over which it grows. It blocks their access to sunlight, girdles their stems and tree trunks, breaks branches and uproots whole shrubs and trees. Eventually it replaces all the vegetation in its path.
Kudzu is very hard to control, but if you’re well-prepared and well-informed, you can protect your woods from its spread. In this section, you’ll learn about how kudzu can affect your land, what to do if you find it on your property, and how to prevent it from growing in your woods.
Learn More
- US Forest Service Forest Invasive Plants Resource Center: Kudzu
- History and Use of Kudzu in the Southeastern United States
- Kudzu Control in Residential Areas by the Alabama Cooperative Extension: Provides a good overview of the different herbicide treatments.
- Kudzu Control in Forests, Right-of-Way and Natural Areas
- Kudzu Containment and Removal Protocol
- Kudzu resources from the Trees Coalition
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