Kudzu is a deciduous, woody, perennial vine in the pea family (Fabaceae). It is native to eastern Asia but was introduced in the US in the 19th century to prevent erosion, enrich soil, and provide animal forage. It has escaped, naturalized and become a horrific weed. Other varieties are found in Asla, but this is the variety found in the SE United States. It grows along riparian areas, rights-of-way, fields and roadsides. Kudzu prefers moist, well-drained loamy soils in the full sun. It aggressively colonizes by growing along the ground and up and over tree and shrub canopies, killing plants by shading them out. These reproduce vegetatively through stolons and by rooting at almost every node that makes contact with the soil. They also form a large tuberous rootstock that is difficult to kill. This plant is not recommended for any landscape purpose in the south. Do not plant it. I nsects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems : Mature stands of the vine are particularly difficult to manage. It seems to have no diseases or insect pests that might reduce the vine’s vigor.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Loam (Silt)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
High
Canopy layer
6 - Vine (vertical)
Form & Appearance
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Gold/Yellow; Gray/Silver; Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf size
> 6 inches long
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Pinnately compound three leaflets, alternate grayish green or yellow 2 to 8 inches long
Flower color
Pink; Purple/Lavender
Flower form
Raceme
Flower shape
Irregular; Lipped
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Pea-like pink or purplish flowers 0.8 to 1 inch long appear in axillary racemes that reach 4 to 8 inches long. It flowers from June to September.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit type
Legume
Fruit size
1-3 inches long
Fruit detail
Flattened pods 1.5 to 3 inches long. They mature from September to January and are produced only on climbing vines.
Stem detail
The long flexible stems are used in basket making.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
China to Australia
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall; Winter
Fruit type
Legume
Uses (ethnobotany)
The long flexible stems are used in basket making. Powder from the root is used in making Arrowroot tea which is popular medicine in China, Japan, and Korea. It is being studied for its medicinal properties.