Encounters

Sophia Vargas

Mr. Skipper

Encounters 8

March 3, 2023

Kudzu Invasion

Introduction

Kudzu otherwise known as “a mile a minute'' can grow extraordinarily fast. With its long roots and bright green leaves, people might think the plant looks admirable, however that is not the case. Kudzu is an invasive species or a plant that travels somewhere it doesn't belong (Kudzu: The Invasive Vine that Ate the South). Kudzu has caused major negative effects of wildlife and the economic system. Luckily, people are trying their best to stop the spread as it completely takes over anything in its way in just a short amount of time. Due to people trying their best to stop it, along comes the cost to pay so they can use machinery to do so (Kudzu). Kudzu has been around for ages and by the looks of it, will continue to stay and spread even more. The damage of kudzu needs to be taken under control and if that does not happen, it could result in bigger problems.

Early Life or Description

Kudzu is a very beautiful plant. The way it flourishes and grows everywhere makes the scenery look Earthy and natural. Kudzu is an invasive plant that originated in Japan and its scientific name is known as the pueraria montana. People might not think anything about kudzu as it is green, has leaves, and a stem just like any other ordinary plant. However, the quality that makes it so different from other plants is the way it grows. It grows in a high quantity of leaves and in a short amount of time. Its leaves have a point at the tip and are rounded on the edges. They are mid-size leaves about the size of 4 inches. The stem has groups of leaves and each group has three leaves. The texture of the stem is smooth but it has small fuzzy hairs just like the one of a sunflower. If the plant were to be kept alone for about a season meaning no one has cut it or done anything to it, it could reach to be about 60 feet. The vine or stem thickness is no less than a quarter of an inch (Loewenstein). The kudzu plant can produce flowers during the summer time. The flower's color typically ranges from purple, to red, and to pink and the flowers have a spiky purple stem coming out of the middle. Kudzu produce clusters that contain up to 20-30 seeds which is most likely the reason for its such fast spread. The seeds even have a chance of taking years to even start sprouting (Kudzu). Kudzu is a beautiful plant known for its growth and naturistic look.

Beginning of Career or Habitat or Introduction to Non-Native Habitat

Kudzu has certain areas in which it likes to grow and thrive in its habitat. The type of habitat in which it likes to stay in, consists of warm temperatures while at the same time high levels of humidity. The plant attracts itself to light from the Sun by facing its leaves toward it to receive more sunlight which helps it grow. The usual area where it is found is typically in large fields, next to roads, or in ditches. Kudzu resides near areas that have a lot of space. However, it is an invasive species which means it goes to another place where it doesn't belong. The kudzu plant has traveled around the world to different countries. It was originally located near the areas of China, Japan, or around the continent of Asia. Its first appearance to humans was around the 1800’s. During this time, the Asian explorers explored different places, one of them being North America. They went on trips to Philadelphia and New Orleans around the 1870’s and 80’s and from there, the plant’s seed traveled along the way all across America. Slowly, the plant grew and grew to the point where it took over different places and no one could control it (Loewenstein). Kudzu started growing in abundance in the south. The plant is also known as “The vine that ate the south.” which took over a large amount of land located in America. In the article, Kudzu: The Invasive Vine that Ate the South, it says “Known as “mile-a-minute” and “the vine that ate the South,” this creeping, climbing perennial vine terrorizes native plants all over the southeastern United States and is making its way into the Midwest, Northeast, and even Oregon.” This demonstrates that not only is it taking over the south, but just about everywhere else as well, hence the nickname for it being mile a minute (Kudzu: The Invasive Vine that Ate the South).

Adverse Effects

Kudzu can have major negative impacts which can change the area around it. Kudzu growing in forests can easily take over other plants growing nearby and stop them from growing. In an article, it says, “Larger trees blanketed by kudzu may be more prone to windthrow… companies spend significant amounts of time and money controlling kudzu.” This shows that kudzu not only affects the environment, but also the city’s economic state, hence having to spend money to get rid of it (Loewenstein). Kudzu completely smothers the environment with its fast spread. It can actually take over or remove other plants growing in the area. It costs approximately 1.5 million dollars for kudzu control equipment per year to take it down. That insanely high amount of money can really dent the economic state of the city where kudzu grows (Kudzu). Because kudzu really thrives during the hot temperatures, it is safe to say that many of the surrounding plants that also grow in the warm season are being taken over. Even when the area is super dry out, kudzu always finds ways to grow and look for nutrients with its long roots which don't give other plants a chance to get nutrients from the ground (Vine that ate the south). This severely damages the ecological state of the environment by essentially taking over land and not letting other organisms to grow. Kudzu also produces a chemical called isoprene. Isoprene can affect the oxygen in negative ways. The article History and Use of Kudzu In the Southeastern United States mentions how other plants produce isoprene however, kudzu is a plant that releases more of it which is unhealthy for the ozone (Loewenstein). Kudzu causes adverse effects to many different parts of its surrounding location not only by damaging the environment, but also the economic state in which people have to spend money in order to control it. 

Conclusion

Despite the difficulty of getting rid of kudzu there is still hope. Different people are working to stop the spread or at least limit it. Thankfully, there has been a lot of hardwork in order to do so. Full eradication of kudzu might take decades to accomplish on just one site. They would have to remove each root crown from the ground for kudzu to be settled down (Kudzu). The motivation for kudzu being removed is increasing. According to an article, it says, “In the 1970s, kudzu was labeled a weed. While it was widely in the middle of the 20th century, just a few decades later kudzu was considered a plant pest of the highest proportions”. That demonstrates that because the kudzu acts as a pest or unwanted plant, people try their best to remove it (5 Facts You Need to Know About Kudzu). But even with all the attempts to remove kudzu from places it doesn't belong, it looks like kudzu has a long way before the job actually gets taken care of (Loewenstein). Kudzu, although it being a beautiful plant, is still an invasive and dangerous species and if no one does anything, it will take over.

Works Cited

“5 Facts About Kudzu You Need to Know.” Southern Living, 6 Jul 2022, www.southernliving.com/garden/plants/kudzu-vine-facts.

“Kudzu: The Invasive Vine that Ate the South.” The Nature Conservancy, 9 Aug 2019, www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/indiana/stories-in-indiana/kudzu-invasive-species/.

“Kudzu.” New York Invasive (is) Species Information, Cornell University Cooperative Extension, 2 July 2019, nyis.info/invasive_species/kudzu/. 

Loewenstein, Nancy J. et al. “History and Use of Kudzu in the Southeastern United States.” Extension Alabama A&M & Auburn Universities,  Alabama Cooperative Extension System, 2022, www.aces.edu/blog/topics/forestry-wildlife/the-history-and-use-of-kudzu-in-the-southeastern-united-states/.