Invasive Species Council of Manitoba

Kudzu Vine

Pueraria montana

Kudzu is a perennial legume that originates from Japan. It was brought to the United States in 1876 for the Worlds Fair. In the 1900 it was used as a forage for cows, pigs and goats and later as cover for erosion control.

Known as "the vine that ate the south" Kudzu Vines can grow a foot a day and covers everything in its path. It's able to pull down power poles, break power lines, collapse buildings and kill trees.

Today the range of Kudzu in the U.S. extends from Connecticut to Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas and Florida. It has also now been found in Leamington, Ontario which is 30 km southeast of Windsor, overlooking Lake Erie.

Kudzu grows best in rough well drained eroded land and/or disturbed soils in the full sun. There is a central root stock with a heavy vine trail. The vines are able to produce new roots from stem nodes; these roots can mature into root crowns and produce new vines. Each leaf has 3 dark green leaflets that are 7-25 cm long with irregular shallow lobes, they are also hairy underneath. Grape-scented flowers are purple and pea-like in shape. Seeds are contained in bean-like pods. Viable seeds that are produced are few but may be responsible for most of the long distance migration by possibly falling into a water source.

Informations provided by the Missouri Department of Conservation

Resources

2011 Rural Municipality Distribution Map

2010 Rural Municipality Distribution Map

Kudzu Vine ISCM Fact Sheet

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Invasive Species Council of Manitoba

Kudzu Vine

Resources

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