The history and use of kudzu in the southeastern United States

This vine was introduced from Japan to the U.S. in 1876 as an ornamental plant, and was later promoted as a natural way to mitigate soil erosion.  In fact, farmers in the southern U.S. were paid to plant kudzu on over one million acres.  Not surprisingly, kudzu is established throughout the southeastern U.S., and is moving to the Midwest and Northeast.  Kudzu spreads primary by runners (vegetative shoots) that root at the nodes; spread by seed is rare.  Kudzu rapidly grows over anything in its path, and commonly covers entire mature trees in a blanket of vines.  This plant can suppress native plant growth and prevent other plants from growing across large areas where it is established.  Management is difficult, but can be accomplished by removal of the root crown (a knobby mass of tissue at or just under the soil surface), repeated mowing (this depletes the plant of nutrients), or herbicides.  Often, multiple methods are required to effectively manage kudzu.  Biological control methods are being tested, and some (including a beetle and fungal spray) do show promise as potential management options.