Kudzu, the vine that never ate the south (2015)
smithsonianmag.com
Kudzu, the vine that never ate the south (2015)
1–10 of 54 posts
Re: Kudzu, the vine that never ate the south (2015)
#2>Still, along Southern roads, the blankets of untouched kudzu create famous spectacles. Bored children traveling rural highways insist their parents wake them when they near the green kudzu monsters stalking the roadside. “If you based it on what you saw on the road, you’d say, dang, this is everywhere,” said Nancy Loewenstein, an invasive plants specialist with Auburn University.
This was my experience as a child. We'd drive by groups of huge pines completely engulfed by kudzu and my mother would tell me it grew so fast you could see it grow with your own eyes. Scary stuff, I imagined the entire country overtaken by kudzu someday.
Re: Kudzu, the vine that never ate the south (2015)
#3The kudzu bug invasion was unreal. I used to live about half an hour from the Atlanta airport where they came in. One summer there were suddenly swarms of them around my house. Anytime you went outside, you’d get a few on you.
The next year the swarms disappeared, but if you shake any given kudzu vine, several will fall off. It’s like they were buzzing around looking for the kudzu. Then once they found it they stayed put.
Re: Kudzu, the vine that never ate the south (2015)
#4The whole concept of "invasive species" had always been a bit confusing to me.
When does a plant or animal brought here from overseas start being considered native? Kudzu has been growing in America since before my ancestors can't here, am I still considered invasive based on the history of Europeans invading this continent?
Re: Kudzu, the vine that never ate the south (2015)
#5Interesting, but the thing that bugs me about the article is the photo at the top - That ain't kudzu. It looks more like an invasive honeysuckle.
Re: Kudzu, the vine that never ate the south (2015)
#6(2015)
Re: Kudzu, the vine that never ate the south (2015)
#7> Kudzu has appeared larger than life because it’s most aggressive when planted along road cuts and railroad embankments
Here's a good example from the Hiwassee Loop where the Kudzu is all dead, making the actual vines easier to spot. Check out how it blankets the entire side of the mountain when the drone pulls out at 8m30s, still opaque even with zero leaves: https://youtu.be/5V3oHAtfh3M?t=411
Re: Kudzu, the vine that never ate the south (2015)
#8>Still, along Southern roads, the blankets of untouched kudzu create famous spectacles. Bored children traveling rural highways insist their parents wake them when they near the green kudzu monsters stalking the roadside. “If you based it on what you saw on the road, you’d say, dang, this is everywhere,” said Nancy Loewenstein, an invasive plants specialist with Auburn University. This was my experience as a child. W…
Pines, telephone poles, tractors, abandoned cars. There was a hill in Pinson, AL covered with the stuff.
Re: Kudzu, the vine that never ate the south (2015)
#9Lantana, Cactus and Cats Claw in Australia. Everyone talks about the cane toads but ignores the weeds
Re: Kudzu, the vine that never ate the south (2015)
#10The whole concept of "invasive species" had always been a bit confusing to me. When does a plant or animal brought here from overseas start being considered native? Kudzu has been growing in America since before my ancestors can't here, am I still considered invasive based on the history of Europeans invading this continent?
Yes. Certainly the First Nations have generally agreed on this.