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{{for|other uses|Kudzu (disambiguation)}} |
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{{Taxobox |
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| color = lightgreen |
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| name = Kudzu |
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| image = Flowering kudzu.jpg |
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| image_width = 240px |
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| image_caption = Kudzu flowers |
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| regnum = [[Plant]]ae |
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| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]] |
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| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]] |
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| ordo = [[Fabales]] |
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| familia = [[Fabaceae]] |
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| subfamilia = [[Faboideae]] |
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| tribus = [[Phaseoleae]] |
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| genus = ''[[Pueraria]]'' |
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| species = '''''P. lobata''''' |
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| binomial = ''Pueraria lobata'' |
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| binomial_authority = ([[Carl Ludwig Willdenow|Willd.]]) [[Jisaburo Ohwi|Ohwi]] |
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}} |
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{{nihongo|'''Kudzu'''|クズ or 葛|Kuzu}}, ''Pueraria lobata'' (syn. ''P. montana, P. thunbergiana''), is one of about 20 [[species]] in the genus ''[[Pueraria]]'' in the [[pea]] family [[Fabaceae]], subfamily [[Faboideae]]. It is native to southern [[Japan]] and southeast [[China]] in eastern [[Asia]]. The name comes from the [[Japanese language|Japanese]] word for this plant, ''kuzu''. The other species of ''Pueraria'' occur in southeast Asia, further south. |
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==Description== |
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Kudzu is a climbing, [[wood]]y or semi-woody, [[perennial plant|perennial]] [[vine]] capable of reaching heights of 20–30 m (66-98 ft) in [[tree]]s, but also scrambles extensively over lower vegetation. The [[leaf|leaves]] are [[deciduous]], alternate and compound, with a petiole (leaf stem) 10–20 cm (4–8 in) long and three broad leaflets 14–18 cm (6–7 in) long and 10 cm (4 in) broad. The leaflets may be entire or deeply 2–3 lobed, and are pubescent underneath with hairy margins. |
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[[Image:Skipper kudzu 6585.JPG|left|thumb|Silver spotted skipper on kudzu]] |
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The [[flower]]s are borne in long [[panicle]]s 10–25 cm (about 4–10 in) long with about 30–80 individual blooms at nodes on the stems (see image). |
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Each flower is about 1–1.5 cm (about 0.4–0.6 in) long, purple, and highly fragrant. The flowers are copious nectar producers and are visited by many species of [[insect]]s, including [[bee]]s, [[butterfly|butterflies]] and [[moth]]s. Flowering occurs in late summer and is followed by production of brown, hairy, flattened seed pods in October and November, each of which contains three to ten hard seeds. Seeds, however, are only produced on plants that are draped over vegetation, fences, and other objects. Only one or two viable seeds are produced in a cluster of seed pods.<ref name="alabama">{{Cite web|url=http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-0065/|title=Kudzu in Alabama: History, Uses, and Control|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=August 20|publisher=Alabama Cooperative Extension System|year=1999|author=John Everest, James Miller, Donald Ball, Mike Patterson}}</ref> |
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Once established, kudzu plants grow rapidly, extending as much as 20 m (60 ft) per season at a rate of about 30 cm (12 in) per day. This vigorous vine may extend 10–30 m (30–100 ft) in length, with basal stems 1–10 cm (1–4 inches) in diameter. Kudzu roots are fleshy, with massive [[tap root]]s 10–20 cm (4–8 in) or more in diameter, reaching depths of up to 12 feet in older patches, and weighing as much as 180 kg. As many as thirty stems may grow from a single root crown. |
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Kudzu grows well under a wide range of conditions and in most soil types. Preferred habitats are forest edges, abandoned fields, roadsides, and disturbed areas, where sunlight is abundant. Kudzu grows best where winters do not drop below −15 °C (5 °F), average summer temperatures are regularly above 27 °C (80 °F), and annual rainfall is 1000 mm (40 in) or more. Less temperate areas are less susceptible to this rapidly growing vegetation. |
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==Uses== |
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===Food=== |
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The non-woody parts of the plant are edible. The young leaves can be used for [[salad]] or cooked as a [[leaf vegetable]]; the flowers battered and [[frying|fried]] (like [[Squash (vegetable)|squash]] flowers); and the [[starch]]y [[tuberous root]]s can be prepared as any [[root vegetable]]. |
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The starchy roots are ground into a fine powder and used for varieties of [[Wagashi]] and herbal medicines. When added to water and heated, kudzu powder becomes clear and adds stickiness to the food. It is sometimes known as "Japanese [[arrowroot]]", due to the similar culinary effect it produces.<ref>Shurtleff W., A. Aoyagi. 1977. The Book of Kudzu: A Culinary and Healing Guide. Brookline, MA: Autumn Press.</ref> |
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Its leaves are high in vitamins A and C, as well as calcium and protein. Its roots are rich in starch and its flowers are an excellent honey source.<ref name="appalachia">{{Cite web|url=http://www.a-spi.org/tp/tp55.htm|title=Kudzu in Appalachia|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=August 20|publisher=Appalachia -- Science in the Public Interest|year=2000|author=Amanda Allen|work=ASPI Technical Series TP 55}}</ref> |
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The name Kudzu appeared first in [[Kojiki]] and [[Nihonshoki]] as a type of vine or Kazura used commonly by the people who lived in Kuzu, an area around present-day Yoshino, Nara prefecture. It is unclear whether the name was taken from the people or the name of the plant was applied to the people. Kudzu has been in use for over 1300 years and it is speculated that it goes back even further. Records from the Nara and Heian era indicate that kudzu was collected and sent as a part of tax. Even today, "Yoshino Kudzu" has the best image of kudzu powder yet. The [[Kagoshima Prefecture|Kagoshima prefecture]] is the largest producer of kudzu products.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} |
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====Jelly==== |
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The purple flowers of Kudzu are also used to make a sweet jelly. This jelly is known better in the southern United States. This jelly has been described as tasting like either a cross between apple jelly and peach jelly or bubblegum. The [[viscous]] substance has a golden yellow color. |
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===Medicine=== |
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Studies have shown that kudzu can reduce both hangovers and [[alcoholic beverage|alcohol]] cravings.<ref name="alky1">{{Cite web|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20070515021551/http://www.med.unc.edu/alcohol/research/Overstreet/kudzu.html|title=Sobering Effects from the Lowly Kudzu|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=May 15|publisher=Internet Archive, The|year=1996|author=Angela Spivey|work=Endeavors Magazine, UNC Chapel Hill}}</ref><ref name="alky2">{{Cite web|url=http://www.alcoholism-cer.com/pt/re/alcoholism/abstract.00000374-200505000-00008.htm;jsessionid=GJnBKyFJqvrkvhvLm1y22PnmWtR2VzHKpvWly1WJbmFp3xZyd90H!-362743511!181195628!8091!-1|title=An Extract of the Chinese Herbal Root Kudzu Reduces Alcohol Drinking by Heavy Drinkers in a Naturalistic Setting. |accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=August 20|publisher=Research Society on Alcoholism|year=2005|author= Lukas, Scott E.; Penetar, David; Berko, Jeff; Vicens, Luke; Palmer, Christopher; Mallya, Gopinath; Macklin, Eric A.; Lee, David Y.-W.|work=Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research. 29(5):756-762}}</ref><ref name="alky3">{{Cite web|url=http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/HealthIssues/1127332920.html|title=Kudzu and Alcohol Consumption|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=August 20|publisher=Sociology Department, State University of New York|author=David J. Hanson, Ph.D.|work=Alcohol: Problems and Solutions}}</ref> A person who takes kudzu, will still drink alcohol, however, they will consume less than if they had not taken kudzu.<ref name="alky4">{{Cite web|url=http://www.hno.harvard.edu/gazette/2005/05.19/09-kudzu.html|title=Kudzu cuts alcohol consumption|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=August 20|author=William J. Cromie|work=Harvard University Gazette}}</ref> The mechanism for this is not yet established, but it may have to do with both alcohol metabolism and the reward circuits in the brain. The Harvard Medical School is studying kudzu as a possible way to treat [[alcoholic]] cravings, by turning an extracted compound from the herb into a medical drug.<ref name="alky5">{{Cite web|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7884540/|title=Got a drinking problem? Try kudzu|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=August 20|publisher=MSNBC|year=2006|author=Associated Press}}</ref> |
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Kudzu also contains a number of useful isoflavones, including [[daidzein]] (an [[anti-inflammatory]] and [[antimicrobial]] agent), [[daidzin]] (a [[cancer]] preventive) and [[genistein]] (an [[Leukemia|antileukemic]] agent). Kudzu is a unique source of the [[isoflavone]] [[puerarin]]. Kudzu root compounds can affect [[neurotransmitters]] (including [[serotonin]], [[GABA]], and [[glutamate]]) and it has shown value in treating [[migraine]] and [[cluster headache]].<ref name="headache">{{Cite web|url=http://med-owl.com/clusterheadaches/tiki-index.php?page=Kudzu|title=Kudzu|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=August 20|publisher=Med-owl.com|year=2006}}</ref> |
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In [[traditional Chinese medicine]], where it is known as gé gēn (葛根), kudzu is considered one of the 50 fundamental herbs. It is used to treat [[tinnitus]], [[Vertigo (medical)|vertigo]], and [[Wei syndrome]] (superficial heat close to the surface).{{Fact|date=February 2007}} |
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===Soil improvement and preservation=== |
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Kudzu has been used as a form of [[erosion control]] and also to enhance the [[soil]]. As a [[legume]], it increases the [[nitrogen]] in the soil via a [[symbiotic relationship]] with nitrogen-fixing [[bacteria]] in the soil.<ref name="appalachia" /> Its deep [[tap roots]] also transfer valuable [[minerals]] from the [[subsoil]] to the [[topsoil]], therefore improving the topsoil. In the deforested section of the Central [[Amazon Basin]] in [[Brazil]], it has been used to improve the soil pore-space in [[clay]] latosols and thus freeing even more [[water]] for plants than in the soil prior to [[deforestation]].<ref name="brazil">{{Cite web|url=http://md1.csa.com/partners/viewrecord.php?requester=gs&collection=ENV&recid=2524557&q=kudzu+soil&uid=789920646&setcookie=yes|title= Changes in soil pore-space distribution following deforestation and revegetation: An example from the Central Amazon Basin, Brazil. |accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=August 20|publisher=ProQuest|year=1991|author=Chauvel, A; Grimaldi, M; Tessier, D|work=Forest Ecology and Management}}</ref> . Warning: [[#Invasive species]]. |
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===Animal feed=== |
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Kudzu can be used by grazing animals as it is high in quality as a [[Fodder|forage]] and greatly enjoyed by [[livestock]]. It can be enjoyed up until [[frost]] and even slightly after. Often, kudzu [[hay]] has a 15-18% crude protein content and over 60% total digestible nutrient value. The quality of it decreases, however, as [[vine]] content increases relative to the [[leaf]] content. Kudzu also has low forage yields despite its great deal of [[cell growth|growth]], yielding around two to four tons of dry matter per [[acre]] annually. It is also difficult to bale due to its vining growth and its slowness in shedding [[water]]. This makes it necessary to place kudzu hay under sheltered protection after being baled. Kudzu is readily consumed by all types of grazing animals, yet frequent grazing over 3 to 4 years can ruin stands. Thus kudzu only serves well as a grazing crop on a temporary basis.<ref name="alabama" /> |
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===Other uses=== |
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In the [[Southern United States]], where the plant has been introduced with devastating environmental consequences,<ref name="blaustein">{{Cite web|url=http://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/ja/ja_blaustein001.pdf|title=Kudzu's invasion into Southern United States life and culture|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=August 20|publisher=United States Department of Agriculture|year=2001|author=Richard J. Blaustein|format=PDF}}</ref> kudzu is used to make [[soap]]s, [[lotion]]s, [[Jelly (fruit preserves)|jelly]], and [[compost]].<ref name="soap">{{Cite web|url=http://www.soapshed.com/store/Kudzu-Soap-pr-16139.html|title=Kudzu Soap|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=August 20|publisher=Blue Ridge Soap Shed, The}}</ref><ref name="basket">{{Cite web|url=http://www.dukeemployees.com/offthewall2.shtml|title=If You Can’t Beat Kudzu, Join It|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=August 20|publisher=Duke Energy Employee Advocate|year=2003|author=Jeffrey Collins|work=Off the Wall}}</ref> It has even been suggested that kudzu may become a valuable asset for the production of [[cellulosic ethanol]].<ref>Richard G. Lugar, R. James Woolsey. The New Petroleum. Foreign Affairs. 1999. Vol. 78, No 1. p. 88.</ref> |
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== Invasive species == |
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[[Image:Kudzu on trees in Atlanta, Georgia.jpg|thumb|Kudzu growing on trees]] |
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Kudzu was introduced from [[Japan]] into the [[United States]] in 1876 at the [[Philadelphia Centennial Exposition]], where it was promoted as a forage [[agriculture|crop]] and an ornamental plant. From 1935 to the early 1950s the [[Natural Resources Conservation Service|Soil Conservation Service]] encouraged farmers in the [[southeastern United States]] to plant kudzu to reduce soil [[erosion]] as [[#Soil improvement and preservation|above]], and the [[Civilian Conservation Corps]] planted it widely for many years. |
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However, it would soon be discovered that the southeastern US has near-perfect conditions for kudzu to grow out of control — hot, humid summers, frequent rainfall, temperate winters with few hard freezes (kudzu cannot tolerate low [[freezing]] [[temperature]]s that bring the [[frost line]] down through its entire root system, a rare occurrence in this region), and no natural predators. As such, the once-promoted plant was named a [[pest (animal)|pest]] [[weed]] by the [[United States Department of Agriculture]] in 1953. |
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[[Image:Kudzu.PNG|thumb|right|270px|Infestation of [[Kudzu]] in the [[United States]].]]Kudzu is now common throughout most of the southeastern United States, and has been found as far north as [[Pennsylvania]], and as far south as [[Key West, Florida]]. It has also been found growing (rather inexplicably) in [[Clackamas County, Oregon]] in 2000.<ref name="oregon">{{Cite web|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20061108013727/http://www.oda.state.or.us/information/news/2000/kudzu.html|title=Serious noxious weed found in Oregon for first time|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=August 20|publisher=Internet Archive, The|year=2000|author=Oregon Department of Agriculture}}</ref> Kudzu has naturalized into about 20,000 to 30,000 square kilometers of land in the United States and costs around $500 million annually in lost cropland and control costs. |
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Kudzu is also becoming a problem in northeastern [[Australia]] and has been seen in yet isolated spots in northern [[Italy]] (Lago Maggiore). |
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[[Image:Kudzu4903.JPG|left|thumb|Kudzu growing on shrubs]] |
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[[Image:Kudzu seedpods 6580.JPG|right|thumb|Kudzu seedpods]] |
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The spread of kudzu is mainly by vegetative expansion by [[stolon]]s (runners) that [[root]] at the [[node (botany)|node]]s to form new plants and by [[rhizome]]s. Kudzu will also spread by [[seed]]s, which are contained in pods and mature in the [[autumn]], although this is rarer. One or two viable seeds are produced per cluster of pods. These hard-coated seeds may not [[germinate]] for several years, which can result in the re-appearance of the species years after it was thought eradicated at a site. |
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===Control=== |
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For successful long-term control of kudzu, it is not necessary to destroy the entire root system, which can be quite large and deep. It is only necessary to use some method to kill or remove the kudzu root crown<ref name="kokudzu">{{Cite web|url=http://kokudzu.com|title=Kudzu Control Without Chemicals|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=August 20|publisher=kokudzu.com|year=2007}}</ref> and all rooting runners. The root crown is a fibrous knob of tissue that sits on top of the root (rhizome). Crowns form from vine nodes that root to the ground, and range from pea-size to basketball-size.<ref name="kokudzu" /> The older the crown, the deeper they tend to be found in the ground because they are covered by sediment and plant debris over time. Nodes and crowns are the source of all kudzu vines, and roots cannot produce vines. If any portion of a root crown remains after attempted removal, the kudzu plant grows back. |
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[[Image:ManualCrown06-05-26b.jpg|thumb|Small kudzu crown severed from root using flexible pruning saw.]] |
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Mechanical methods of control involve cutting off crowns from roots, usually just below ground level. This immediately kills the plant. Cutting off vines is not sufficient for an immediate kill. It is necessary to destroy all removed crown material: Buried crowns can regenerate into healthy kudzu. Transporting crowns in soil removed from a kudzu infestation is one common way that kudzu "miraculously" spreads and shows up in unexpected locations. |
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Close mowing every week, regular heavy [[grazing]] for many successive years, or repeated [[cultivation]] may be effective, if this serves to deplete root reserves.<ref name="kokudzu" /> If done in the [[spring (season)|spring]], cutting off vines must be repeated as regrowth appears to exhaust the plant's stored [[carbohydrate]] reserves. Cut kudzu can be fed to livestock, burned, or composted. |
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Late-season cutting should be followed up with immediate application of a systemic [[herbicide]] to the cut stems, to encourage transport of the herbicide into the root system. Repeated applications of several soil-active herbicides have been used effectively on large infestations in [[forestry]] situations.<ref name="kokudzu" /> |
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[[Prescribed burning]] is also used on old extensive infestations in order to remove vegetative cover and promote seed germination for removal or treatment. It is usually done to prepare for treatment of the root crowns.<ref name="washington">{{Cite web|url=http://www.nwcb.wa.gov/weed_info/Pueraria_lobata.html|title=Written Findings of the State Noxious Weed Control Board|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=August 20|publisher=Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board|year=2007}}</ref> Landscape equipment, such as a [[skid loader]] ("Bobcat"), can also remove biomass. While fire is not an effective way to kill kudzu,<ref name="kokudzu" /> equipment such as skid loaders can remove crowns and thereby kill kudzu with minimal disturbance of soil.<ref name="kokudzu" /> |
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Efforts are being organized by the [[U.S. Forest Service]] to search for biological control agents for kudzu, and a particular [[fungus]] is currently in testing.<ref name="kokudzu" /> |
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The city of [[Chattanooga, Tennessee]] has undertaken a trial program using [[goat]]s and [[llama]]s that graze on the plant. The llamas serve double-duty as defense against predators due to their aggressive nature. Currently the goats are grazing along the [[Missionary Ridge]] area in the east of the city.<ref name="chattanoogan">{{Cite web|url=http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_104814.asp|title=Kudzu Goats And Friends Getting To Work On Missionary Ridge|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=August 20|publisher=The Chattanoogan|year=2007|author=Betsy Bramlett}}</ref> |
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== References == |
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{{reflist|2}} |
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* ''Part of this article was originally based on content from [[public domain]] web pages from the [[United States National Park Service]] and the [[United States Bureau of Land Management]].'' |
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==External links== |
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{{commons|Pueraria montana|Kudzu}} |
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*[http://www.maxshores.com/kudzu/ The Amazing Story of Kudzu] |
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*[http://www.jjanthony.com/kudzu Pictures of Kudzu in the United States] |
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*[http://www.invasivespecies.gov/profiles/kudzu.shtml Invasivespecies.gov article] (lots of links) |
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*[http://www.scienceblog.com/cms/node/7921 Kudzu as anti-alcohol treatment] |
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*[http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/pumo1.htm Kudzu] at nps.gov |
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*[http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-724 Kudzu in Georgia and the U.S. South] |
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*[http://www.register-herald.com/news/local_story_238235547.html Kudzu in West Virginia] |
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[[Category:Faboideae]] |
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[[Category:Medicinal plants]] |
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[[Category:Root vegetables]] |
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[[Category:Invasive plant species]] |
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[[Category:Edible thickening agents]] |
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[[Category:Underutilized crops]] |
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[[de:Kudzu (Pflanze)]] |
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[[eo:Kudzu]] |
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[[fr:Pueraria lobata]] |
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[[nl:Kudzu]] |
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[[ja:クズ]] |
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[[sv:Kudzuböna]] |
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[[to:Fueʻaepuaka]] |
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[[zh:葛]] |
Revision as of 04:32, 23 January 2008
Kudzu | |
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Kudzu flowers | |
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Species: | P. lobata
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Binomial name | |
Pueraria lobata |
Kudzu (クズ or 葛, Kuzu), Pueraria lobata (syn. P. montana, P. thunbergiana), is one of about 20 species in the genus Pueraria in the pea family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae. It is native to southern Japan and southeast China in eastern Asia. The name comes from the Japanese word for this plant, kuzu. The other species of Pueraria occur in southeast Asia, further south.
Description
Kudzu is a climbing, woody or semi-woody, perennial vine capable of reaching heights of 20–30 m (66-98 ft) in trees, but also scrambles extensively over lower vegetation. The leaves are deciduous, alternate and compound, with a petiole (leaf stem) 10–20 cm (4–8 in) long and three broad leaflets 14–18 cm (6–7 in) long and 10 cm (4 in) broad. The leaflets may be entire or deeply 2–3 lobed, and are pubescent underneath with hairy margins.
The flowers are borne in long panicles 10–25 cm (about 4–10 in) long with about 30–80 individual blooms at nodes on the stems (see image).
Each flower is about 1–1.5 cm (about 0.4–0.6 in) long, purple, and highly fragrant. The flowers are copious nectar producers and are visited by many species of insects, including bees, butterflies and moths. Flowering occurs in late summer and is followed by production of brown, hairy, flattened seed pods in October and November, each of which contains three to ten hard seeds. Seeds, however, are only produced on plants that are draped over vegetation, fences, and other objects. Only one or two viable seeds are produced in a cluster of seed pods.[1]
Once established, kudzu plants grow rapidly, extending as much as 20 m (60 ft) per season at a rate of about 30 cm (12 in) per day. This vigorous vine may extend 10–30 m (30–100 ft) in length, with basal stems 1–10 cm (1–4 inches) in diameter. Kudzu roots are fleshy, with massive tap roots 10–20 cm (4–8 in) or more in diameter, reaching depths of up to 12 feet in older patches, and weighing as much as 180 kg. As many as thirty stems may grow from a single root crown.
Kudzu grows well under a wide range of conditions and in most soil types. Preferred habitats are forest edges, abandoned fields, roadsides, and disturbed areas, where sunlight is abundant. Kudzu grows best where winters do not drop below −15 °C (5 °F), average summer temperatures are regularly above 27 °C (80 °F), and annual rainfall is 1000 mm (40 in) or more. Less temperate areas are less susceptible to this rapidly growing vegetation.
Uses
Food
The non-woody parts of the plant are edible. The young leaves can be used for salad or cooked as a leaf vegetable; the flowers battered and fried (like squash flowers); and the starchy tuberous roots can be prepared as any root vegetable. The starchy roots are ground into a fine powder and used for varieties of Wagashi and herbal medicines. When added to water and heated, kudzu powder becomes clear and adds stickiness to the food. It is sometimes known as "Japanese arrowroot", due to the similar culinary effect it produces.[2]
Its leaves are high in vitamins A and C, as well as calcium and protein. Its roots are rich in starch and its flowers are an excellent honey source.[3]
The name Kudzu appeared first in Kojiki and Nihonshoki as a type of vine or Kazura used commonly by the people who lived in Kuzu, an area around present-day Yoshino, Nara prefecture. It is unclear whether the name was taken from the people or the name of the plant was applied to the people. Kudzu has been in use for over 1300 years and it is speculated that it goes back even further. Records from the Nara and Heian era indicate that kudzu was collected and sent as a part of tax. Even today, "Yoshino Kudzu" has the best image of kudzu powder yet. The Kagoshima prefecture is the largest producer of kudzu products.[citation needed]
Jelly
The purple flowers of Kudzu are also used to make a sweet jelly. This jelly is known better in the southern United States. This jelly has been described as tasting like either a cross between apple jelly and peach jelly or bubblegum. The viscous substance has a golden yellow color.
Medicine
Studies have shown that kudzu can reduce both hangovers and alcohol cravings.[4][5][6] A person who takes kudzu, will still drink alcohol, however, they will consume less than if they had not taken kudzu.[7] The mechanism for this is not yet established, but it may have to do with both alcohol metabolism and the reward circuits in the brain. The Harvard Medical School is studying kudzu as a possible way to treat alcoholic cravings, by turning an extracted compound from the herb into a medical drug.[8]
Kudzu also contains a number of useful isoflavones, including daidzein (an anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial agent), daidzin (a cancer preventive) and genistein (an antileukemic agent). Kudzu is a unique source of the isoflavone puerarin. Kudzu root compounds can affect neurotransmitters (including serotonin, GABA, and glutamate) and it has shown value in treating migraine and cluster headache.[9]
In traditional Chinese medicine, where it is known as gé gēn (葛根), kudzu is considered one of the 50 fundamental herbs. It is used to treat tinnitus, vertigo, and Wei syndrome (superficial heat close to the surface).[citation needed]
Soil improvement and preservation
Kudzu has been used as a form of erosion control and also to enhance the soil. As a legume, it increases the nitrogen in the soil via a symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the soil.[3] Its deep tap roots also transfer valuable minerals from the subsoil to the topsoil, therefore improving the topsoil. In the deforested section of the Central Amazon Basin in Brazil, it has been used to improve the soil pore-space in clay latosols and thus freeing even more water for plants than in the soil prior to deforestation.[10] . Warning: #Invasive species.
Animal feed
Kudzu can be used by grazing animals as it is high in quality as a forage and greatly enjoyed by livestock. It can be enjoyed up until frost and even slightly after. Often, kudzu hay has a 15-18% crude protein content and over 60% total digestible nutrient value. The quality of it decreases, however, as vine content increases relative to the leaf content. Kudzu also has low forage yields despite its great deal of growth, yielding around two to four tons of dry matter per acre annually. It is also difficult to bale due to its vining growth and its slowness in shedding water. This makes it necessary to place kudzu hay under sheltered protection after being baled. Kudzu is readily consumed by all types of grazing animals, yet frequent grazing over 3 to 4 years can ruin stands. Thus kudzu only serves well as a grazing crop on a temporary basis.[1]
Other uses
In the Southern United States, where the plant has been introduced with devastating environmental consequences,[11] kudzu is used to make soaps, lotions, jelly, and compost.[12][13] It has even been suggested that kudzu may become a valuable asset for the production of cellulosic ethanol.[14]
Invasive species
Kudzu was introduced from Japan into the United States in 1876 at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition, where it was promoted as a forage crop and an ornamental plant. From 1935 to the early 1950s the Soil Conservation Service encouraged farmers in the southeastern United States to plant kudzu to reduce soil erosion as above, and the Civilian Conservation Corps planted it widely for many years.
However, it would soon be discovered that the southeastern US has near-perfect conditions for kudzu to grow out of control — hot, humid summers, frequent rainfall, temperate winters with few hard freezes (kudzu cannot tolerate low freezing temperatures that bring the frost line down through its entire root system, a rare occurrence in this region), and no natural predators. As such, the once-promoted plant was named a pest weed by the United States Department of Agriculture in 1953.
Kudzu is now common throughout most of the southeastern United States, and has been found as far north as Pennsylvania, and as far south as Key West, Florida. It has also been found growing (rather inexplicably) in Clackamas County, Oregon in 2000.[15] Kudzu has naturalized into about 20,000 to 30,000 square kilometers of land in the United States and costs around $500 million annually in lost cropland and control costs.
Kudzu is also becoming a problem in northeastern Australia and has been seen in yet isolated spots in northern Italy (Lago Maggiore).
The spread of kudzu is mainly by vegetative expansion by stolons (runners) that root at the nodes to form new plants and by rhizomes. Kudzu will also spread by seeds, which are contained in pods and mature in the autumn, although this is rarer. One or two viable seeds are produced per cluster of pods. These hard-coated seeds may not germinate for several years, which can result in the re-appearance of the species years after it was thought eradicated at a site.
Control
For successful long-term control of kudzu, it is not necessary to destroy the entire root system, which can be quite large and deep. It is only necessary to use some method to kill or remove the kudzu root crown[16] and all rooting runners. The root crown is a fibrous knob of tissue that sits on top of the root (rhizome). Crowns form from vine nodes that root to the ground, and range from pea-size to basketball-size.[16] The older the crown, the deeper they tend to be found in the ground because they are covered by sediment and plant debris over time. Nodes and crowns are the source of all kudzu vines, and roots cannot produce vines. If any portion of a root crown remains after attempted removal, the kudzu plant grows back.
Mechanical methods of control involve cutting off crowns from roots, usually just below ground level. This immediately kills the plant. Cutting off vines is not sufficient for an immediate kill. It is necessary to destroy all removed crown material: Buried crowns can regenerate into healthy kudzu. Transporting crowns in soil removed from a kudzu infestation is one common way that kudzu "miraculously" spreads and shows up in unexpected locations.
Close mowing every week, regular heavy grazing for many successive years, or repeated cultivation may be effective, if this serves to deplete root reserves.[16] If done in the spring, cutting off vines must be repeated as regrowth appears to exhaust the plant's stored carbohydrate reserves. Cut kudzu can be fed to livestock, burned, or composted.
Late-season cutting should be followed up with immediate application of a systemic herbicide to the cut stems, to encourage transport of the herbicide into the root system. Repeated applications of several soil-active herbicides have been used effectively on large infestations in forestry situations.[16]
Prescribed burning is also used on old extensive infestations in order to remove vegetative cover and promote seed germination for removal or treatment. It is usually done to prepare for treatment of the root crowns.[17] Landscape equipment, such as a skid loader ("Bobcat"), can also remove biomass. While fire is not an effective way to kill kudzu,[16] equipment such as skid loaders can remove crowns and thereby kill kudzu with minimal disturbance of soil.[16]
Efforts are being organized by the U.S. Forest Service to search for biological control agents for kudzu, and a particular fungus is currently in testing.[16]
The city of Chattanooga, Tennessee has undertaken a trial program using goats and llamas that graze on the plant. The llamas serve double-duty as defense against predators due to their aggressive nature. Currently the goats are grazing along the Missionary Ridge area in the east of the city.[18]
References
- ^ a b John Everest, James Miller, Donald Ball, Mike Patterson (1999). "Kudzu in Alabama: History, Uses, and Control". Alabama Cooperative Extension System.
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suggested) (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Shurtleff W., A. Aoyagi. 1977. The Book of Kudzu: A Culinary and Healing Guide. Brookline, MA: Autumn Press.
- ^ a b Amanda Allen (2000). "Kudzu in Appalachia". ASPI Technical Series TP 55. Appalachia -- Science in the Public Interest.
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: Unknown parameter|accessmonthday=
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suggested) (help) - ^ Angela Spivey (1996). "Sobering Effects from the Lowly Kudzu". Endeavors Magazine, UNC Chapel Hill. Internet Archive, The.
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: Unknown parameter|accessmonthday=
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ignored (|access-date=
suggested) (help) - ^ Lukas, Scott E.; Penetar, David; Berko, Jeff; Vicens, Luke; Palmer, Christopher; Mallya, Gopinath; Macklin, Eric A.; Lee, David Y.-W. (2005). "An Extract of the Chinese Herbal Root Kudzu Reduces Alcohol Drinking by Heavy Drinkers in a Naturalistic Setting". Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research. 29(5):756-762. Research Society on Alcoholism.
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suggested) (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ David J. Hanson, Ph.D. "Kudzu and Alcohol Consumption". Alcohol: Problems and Solutions. Sociology Department, State University of New York.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ William J. Cromie. "Kudzu cuts alcohol consumption". Harvard University Gazette.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|accessmonthday=
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suggested) (help) - ^ Associated Press (2006). "Got a drinking problem? Try kudzu". MSNBC.
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Kudzu". Med-owl.com. 2006.
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suggested) (help) - ^ Chauvel, A; Grimaldi, M; Tessier, D (1991). "Changes in soil pore-space distribution following deforestation and revegetation: An example from the Central Amazon Basin, Brazil". Forest Ecology and Management. ProQuest.
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: Unknown parameter|accessmonthday=
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suggested) (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Richard J. Blaustein (2001). "Kudzu's invasion into Southern United States life and culture" (PDF). United States Department of Agriculture.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Kudzu Soap". Blue Ridge Soap Shed, The.
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suggested) (help) - ^ Jeffrey Collins (2003). "If You Can't Beat Kudzu, Join It". Off the Wall. Duke Energy Employee Advocate.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|accessmonthday=
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suggested) (help) - ^ Richard G. Lugar, R. James Woolsey. The New Petroleum. Foreign Affairs. 1999. Vol. 78, No 1. p. 88.
- ^ Oregon Department of Agriculture (2000). "Serious noxious weed found in Oregon for first time". Internet Archive, The.
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suggested) (help) - ^ a b c d e f g "Kudzu Control Without Chemicals". kokudzu.com. 2007.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|accessmonthday=
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Written Findings of the State Noxious Weed Control Board". Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board. 2007.
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: Unknown parameter|accessmonthday=
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suggested) (help) - ^ Betsy Bramlett (2007). "Kudzu Goats And Friends Getting To Work On Missionary Ridge". The Chattanoogan.
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- Part of this article was originally based on content from public domain web pages from the United States National Park Service and the United States Bureau of Land Management.