Kuduza Vine

Invasive Species; kudzu vine (Pueraria lobata) and the link between land use in the United States

Abstract

Kudzu is an invasive species to the U.S. and has caused environmental land and economic havoc in North America by modifying ecosystems, damaging crops, threatening native species, and serving as hosts to pest and viruses. The vine was purposely introduced into the United States as an ornamental vine for the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition of 1876 and latterly planted to be used as fodder for animal feed. (Fairchild, 1938) Since that time the plant had spread to most of the southeastern United States and has been speculated to spread as far north as the Great Lakes by 2040 if global warming occurs as projected. (Miller et al, 2008)

Keywords: kudzu, Pueraria lobata; invasive species

Article Outline

1. Introduction

2. Body

3. Conclusions

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1. Introduction

Kudzu (Pueraria lobata) is a perennial, trailing or climbing vine of the legume family. It has dark green leaves, starchy fibrous roots, and elongated purple flowers with a fragrance reminiscent of grapes (DCR, 1972). It is believed to have originated in China and is one of the earliest medicinal plants used in traditional Chinese medicine (Keung & Vallee, 1998). Unlike other well know invasive species to North America such as fire ants, “killer bees” and python snakes dumped in Florida everglades, the kudzu vine has the distinction of being an invited invader. It was purposely planted in the US in 1930’s and 1940’s. The Soil Conservations Service promoted kudzu vine as a means of holding soil on the swiftly eroding gullies of the deforested southern landscape, especially in the Piedmont regions of Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi. Farmers were paid $ 8.00 per acre by the Soil Erosion Service and more than 1.2 million acres were planted under this subsidized program. (Tabor and Susott, 1941). However, travellers to the southeastern US will readily...