Texas A&M Overton plant expert discusses invasive kudzu
OVERTON, Texas (KLTV) - If you’ve traveled East Texas roadways, it’s a sure bet you’ve probably seen trees or fences covered in an invasive plant.
Kudzu is often called “the vine that ate the south,” and it is so prolific that plant experts are warning the public to be on the lookout for it.
Brought to the United States in the 1800s from Japan, it was originally promoted as an ornamental plant. Then, in the 1900s, it was planted in areas to supposedly control soil erosion.
Little did we know at the time how invasive and destructive the crawling plant could be. It thrives even in extreme heat and often can envelop whole groves of trees, strangling them off from sunlight and eventually killing the trees and anything else they cover.
They have an astonishing growth rate, often growing 12 inches per day.
Texas A&M Overton Forage Specialist Vanessa Corriher-Olsen talks about the plant’s humble beginnings and how it continues to spread across the country.
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