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Kudzu
Pueraria
montana
Identification
Climbing perennial
vine in the pea family (Fabaceae). The alternately arranged leaves
are compound in bunches of three leaflets. Leaflets are tomentose,
large, and either entirely at the margin or 3-lobed. Young shoots
are also hairy, and climb vertical surfaces by way of long tendrils.
Showy purple flower clusters give way to hairy, beanlike seed pods
in fall. One of the most easily recognized invasive plant species in
the southeast.
Origin
Japan, China
Habitat
Grows well
in a variety of soil conditions. Invades forest edges, roadsides,
abandoned fields, and disturbed areas in full sun. Not tolerant of
shade or extreme cold. It will grow much more aggressively in warmer
climates in the south, especially where rainfall is abundant.
Ecological Threat
Kudzu is one of
the fastest growing invasive plants. It can grow up to one foot per
day in ideal conditions. It can cover, smother or girdle
open-growing or forest edge trees with its onslaught of growth. All
native herbaceous plant life is completely covered and shaded out by
kudzu in an infested area. Not as dangerous for high successional
forests because of its intolerance to shade, but trees growing along
forest edges and in open fields are in danger of being pulled down
or shaded out completely.
Recommended Native Alternatives
-
Virginia
creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)
-
Patridge pea
(Chamaechrista fasciculate)
-
American
Wisteria (Wisteria frutescens)
These pages are designed to give the
layperson a general overview of non-native invasive plants commonly
found in the upper Hiwassee River watershed. For more comprehensive
and technical information about a particular species, visit one of
the web sites from our
Links
page. |
