The Mile-A-Minute Vine

If you haven't already, please read this great poem about Kudzu by James Dickey. I have always been intrigued by this invasive plant, ever since my biology teacher in high school had us all believing that the sinewy green vines that grew throughout our Connecticut forests were kudzu. He later explained that what we have up north is actually bittersweet & that kudzu is a battle the south is facing. But still, every time I gaze upon the bushy mass of bittersweet growing over my fence, I can't help but think about kudzu.

I bet you didn't know that kudzu was non-native to the United States. Why would you? The sheer volume of it is staggering in the south. This fast growing plant can grow up to a foot a day in the summer months.

It's history in the US is quite interesting. Like many feral species, it was introduced to Philadelphia in 1876 when the Japanese government constructed a garden with native plants from their country to celebrate our centennial. People were so enraptured by the large leaves & sweet blooms that they started planting it in their own gardens & after it was discovered animals would use it as food & shelter, they actually began promoting the vine, marketing it at Floridian nurseries with signs reading: Kudzu Sold Here.

Soon kudzu was being promoted for erosion control & farmers were making good money for every acre they planted with kudzu. Today, more than a million acres of the south are dominated by this dastardly vine that chokes plants & blocks sunlight as it climbs trees, power poles, & anything else they contact.

Kudzu was officially declared a weed in 1972.

Solutions? Goats! In this article from The Christian Science Monitor, goats are being employed to chew until their heart is content on the kudzu, & they are able to clear out whole forests of the stuff.

Until cool weather presaged the fall livestock auctions last week, a herd of 20 goateed "girls" - including Nibbler, Suki, & Layla - chewed to their hearts' content through a forest of kudzu on the campus of North Carolina State University, pulling down the unruly Japanese vines & devouring leaves, stems, & roots as though they were a Thursday night special at the local diner.

Hopefully, this solution will not only help rid the goats of their bad reputation, especially at North Carolina State University, but will also feed the goat-meat market, which is on the rise.

Kudzu is also being used by crafty people to create baskets, paper & even food. If you are interested check out this recipe for kudzu tea! You may never look at kudzu the same way again.