Kudzu, (Pueraria montana), is a group of plants in the genus Pueraria, and native to China and Japan, where it has been growing for its edible starch roots and for a fibre made from its stems. Kudzu has been used for as a form of erosion control and to enhance the soil. As a legume, it increases the nitrogen in the soil by a symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
In 1876, the kudzu plant was introduced to the Unites States from Japan and was implemented at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. Kudzu was brought to US to help control erosion of slopes which led to the government-aided distribution of 85 million seedings. The climate and environment of the Southeastern United States allowed the kudzu to grow virtually unchecked. Kudzu’s ability to grow quickly, survive in areas of low-nitrogen availability, and acquire resources quickly allows it to out-compete native species.
kudzu is extraordinarily resistant to both strain and drought, and it can easily survive in soils with low quantities of nitrogen. In addition, it can develop surely and virtually fast. Although older Southerners swear the invasive pest can develop a mile a minute, many horticulture and extension sites instead say it is able to grow a foot a day. These traits make it an exceptionally competitive species, particularly while pitted in opposition to the more fragile indigenous species of the region. Finally, fast-growing kudzu killed trees and shrubs by cutting off nutrients supply, reduced plant biodiversity by eliminating competitive vegetation.
As of now, kudzu covers a staggering 7.4 million acres in the South, with the heaviest infestation concentrated in Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi.
References:
Waldner, L. S. (2008). The kudzu connection: Exploring the link between land use and invasive species. Land use Policy, 25(3), 399-409. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2007.09.006
Applied Plant Ecology Winter 2020 