Killling Kudzu: Tips at a Glance
- Type Invasive vine
- Life Span Perennial
- USDA Zones 5-11
- Sun Shade to bright sun
- Water Drought tolerant
- Where to Plant Don't
- Design Tip Goats eat it
- Companions Smothers others
- Location In southern US, heading north
Kudzu: A Field Guide
Kudzu is a killer. It’s smothering trees, shrubs, and landscapes at an alarming rate and has already blanketed more than 7 million acres in North America. It’s tireless.
Brought to the United States from Japan for the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition in 1876, kudzu was later used in the ’30s and ’40s for soil erosion efforts in the Southeast. Though its toughness has made it a good choice for basketry, paper, and textile production (its texture is like hemp), kudzu’s resilience is also what causes the problem. The fight goes on to smother, burn, and graze away this invasive vine. Needless to say, kudzu should be nowhere near your landscape.