| kudzu |
USDA PLANTS Symbol: PUMO USDA ARS GRIN: 30355 ITIS: 529930 NAPIS: PCQBPBA |
| Pueraria montana var. lobata (Willd.) Maesen & S. Almeida | |
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Taxonomic Rank: Magnoliopsida: Fabales: Fabaceae (Leguminosae) |
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Kudzu is a climbing, deciduous vine capable of reaching lengths of over 100 ft. (30.5 m). Leaves are alternate, compound (with three, usually lobed, leaflets), hairy and up to 5.4 in. (15 cm) long. Flowering occurs in midsummer, when 0.5 in. (1.3 cm) long, purple, fragrant flowers hang, in clusters, in the axils of the leaves. Fruit are brown, hairy, flat, 3 in. (7.6 cm) long, 0.3 in. (0.8 cm) wide seed pods. Preferred habitat includes open, disturbed areas such as roadsides, right-of-ways, forest edges and old fields. Kudzu often grows over, smothers and kills all other vegetation, including trees. Kudzu is native to Asia and was first introduced into the United States in 1876 at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition. It was widely planted throughout the eastern United States in an attempt to control erosion. |
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Identification, Biology, Control and Management Resources
- Invasive Species Management Plans for Florida - University of Florida - Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants
- Weed of the Week - USDA Forest Service
- Identification and Biology of Non-Native Plants in Florida's Natural Areas - University of Florida
- Invasive Plant Atlas of New England - University of Connecticut
- Fire Effects Information System - USDA Forest Service
- Weeds Gone Wild: Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas - Plant Conservation Alliance
- Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council Invasive Plant Manual - SE-EPPC
- Biological Control of Invasive Plants in the Eastern United States - USDA Forest Service
- Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas - National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- Nonnative Invasive Plants of Southern Forests - USDA Forest Service
- Kudzu eradication trials with new herbicides - USDA Forest Service
- Kudzu eradication trials testing fifteen herbicides - USDA Forest Service
- Herbicide Tests For Kudzu Eradication - USDA Forest Service
- Fact Sheet - Pennsylvania Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources
| Selected Images from Invasive.org | View All Images at Invasive.org |
 Foliage; An invasive plant in the South Ronald F. Billings, Texas Forest Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Foliage; October James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Feature(s); Sprouts developing at root crowns in April following a winter burn. Dooly County Georgia David J. Moorhead, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Feature(s); Golden hairy young vines and silvery backside of leaflet in July James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Stand; resprouting from root crown after fire David J. Moorhead, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Stand; resprouting from root crown after fire David J. Moorhead, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Seedling(s); Nancy Fraley, USDI National Park Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Bark; November James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Flower(s); David J. Moorhead, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Flower(s); in September Chuck Bargeron, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Flower(s); Forest & Kim Starr, U.S. Geological Survey, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Flower(s); flowers habit with ridge Forest & Kim Starr, U.S. Geological Survey, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Fruit(s); November Ted Bodner, Southern Weed Science Society, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Seed(s); Steve Hurst, USDA NRCS PLANTS Database, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Feature(s); tuberous root Forest & Kim Starr, U.S. Geological Survey, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; invading a cotton field David J. Moorhead, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Plant(s); infestation, SC Robert L. Anderson, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; David J. Moorhead, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; Johnny Randall, North Carolina Botanical Garden, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; Covering a house Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; Charles T. Bryson, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; Tift County, GA Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; Completely covering a road cut-through. Floyd County, KY. Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; Covering an old house in the South. Jerry Asher, USDI Bureau of Land Management, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Plant(s); Stop Kudzu! Brookside Gardens Jil M. Swearingen, USDI National Park Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Damage; Kudzu kills trees by shading them and spreads inexorably, mostly through soil movement and vegetative growth Kerry Britton, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; Winter photo. Travelers Rest, SC. Randy Cyr, Greentree, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; Winter scene of vines draped in tree crowns. Macon, Georgia David J. Moorhead, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; John D. Byrd, Mississippi State University, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Control; Aerial herbicide application John D. Byrd, Mississippi State University, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Control; Broadcast treatment of herbicide spray to kudzu. James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; John D. Byrd, Mississippi State University, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Research; cattle grazing on field interplanted with caley pear to extend grazing in 1949 USDA NRCS Archive, USDA NRCS, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Research; four years after planted on eroded field in 1939 USDA NRCS Archive, USDA NRCS, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Research; pigs grazing on field USDA NRCS Archive, USDA NRCS, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
Taxonomic References:
- USDA, NRCS. 2001. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.1, National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.
Invasive Listing Sources:
- Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group
- Delaware Natural Resources and Environmental Control, 2004
- Faith Campbell, 1998. Plants that Hog the Garden: Invasive Plants in the United States. Fine Gardening Online
- Gulf of Mexico Regional Panel, Aquatic Nuisance Species Annual Report, 2001
- Indiana Native Plant and Wildflower Society
- Jil M. Swearingen, Survey of invasive plants occurring on National Park Service lands, 2000-2007
- John Randall, The Nature Conservancy, Survey of TNC Preserves, 1995.
- Maryland Cooperative Extension Service. 2003. Invasive Plant Control in Maryland. Home and Garden Information Center, Home and Garden Mimeo HG88. 4 pp.
- Maryland Department of Natural Resources, 1994
- Mid-Atlantic Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2005
- Missouri Department of Conservation,
- Native Plant Society of Oregon, 2002
- New Jersey Department of Agriculture, Division of Plant Industry, 2004
- Nonnative Invasive Species in Southern Forest and Grassland Ecosystems
- North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, 1998
- Tatyana Livschultz, Pennsylvania survey of invasive plants,
- Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, 1999.
- WeedUS - Database of Plants Invading Natural Areas in the United States
- Alabama Invasive Plant Council
- Connecticut Noxious Weeds
- Alachua County Cogongrass Initiative
- Apalachicola Invasive Working Group
- Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council Category I
- Florida Noxious Weeds
- Treasure Coast Cooperative Invasive Species Mgmt. Area - EARLY DRAFT
- Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council Category 1
- Illinois Noxious Weeds
- Kansas Noxious Weeds
- Kentucky Exotic Pest Plant Council Severe Threat
- Kentucky Noxious Weeds
- Massachusetts Noxious Weeds
- Missouri Noxious Weeds
- Mississippi Noxious Weeds
- Oregon Noxious Weeds
- Oregon Noxious Weeds
- Pennsylvania Noxious Weeds
- South Carolina Exotic Pest Plant Council Severe Threat
- Tennessee Exotic Pest Plant Council Severe Threat
- Texas Noxious Weeds
- Washington Noxious Weeds
- West Virginia Noxious Weeds
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