Kudzu (Pueraria montana) was introduced to the United States in 1876 at the Philadelphia Exposition. In the 1930s it was widely planted for erosion control. At that same time it became popular as a forage crop. There are estimates that 300,000 acres of kudzu was planted by the 1940s. Now, it is so aggressive, it can cover buildings, barns, houses, and parked vehicles. It covers trees and power lines, often breaking them with the sure weight of the plant/vine.The perennial trailing vine can grow up to 1’ a day and nearly 100’ in a single season depending upon its location. One single crown can produce as many as 30 new vines that expand out in all directions.
Kudzu is extremely difficult to control once established. Kudzu is so aggressive it covers and smothers all other plants in its path resulting in solid stands that can eliminate native species. In some locations, it can appear as a sea of kudzu as far as the eye can see.