kudzu “the plant that ate the south” · "cotton isn't king in the south anymore....
TRANSCRIPT
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F O O D , M E D I C I N E , C R A F T S , E N E R G Y
M I M I H E R N A N D E Z , M S , R H ( A H G )
Kudzu“The plant that ate the south”
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Kudzu History
Native to southern Japan and southeast China in eastern Asia . The name comes from the Japanese word meaning vine .
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Kudzu History
Kudzu was promoted as a forage crop
and an ornamental plant.
Kudzu was introduced from Japan into the United States in 1876 at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition
Countries were invited to build exhibits to celebrate the 100th birthday of the U.S.
The Japanese government constructed a beautiful garden filled with plants from their country.
The large leaves and sweet-smelling blooms of kudzu captured the imagination of American gardeners who used the plant for ornamental purposes.
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Kudzu History
Kudzu seedling nurseries produced and distributed more than 73 million seedlings between 1935 and 1941 (Tabor and Susott, 1941).
Florida nursery operators, Charles and Lillie Pleas, discovered that animals would eat the plant and promoted its use for forage in the 1920s.
Their Glen Arden Nursery in Chipley sold kudzu plants through the mail. A historical marker there proudly proclaims "Kudzu Developed Here."
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"Cotton isn't king in the South anymore. Kudzu is king!” Channing Cope
Channing Cope of Covington, Georgia promoted use of the vine to control erosion.
During the 1940s, he traveled across the southeast starting Kudzu Clubs to honor what he called "the miracle vine.“
In his 1949 book, Front Porch Farmer, Channing Cope presents kudzu as the panacea that will allow farmers to adopt a life of leisure and relaxation, as this new crop “works while you sleep.” Kudzu was widely promoted as a drought-resistant, high-nitrogen forage crop.
Kudzu History
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Franklin Roosevelt's Civilian Conservation Corps planted Kudzu widely for many years.
From 1935 to the early 1950s the Soil Conservation Service encouraged farmers in the South to plant kudzu to reduce soil erosion
Hundreds of young men were given work planting kudzu through the Civilian Conservation Corps.
Farmers were paid as much as eight dollars an acre as incentive to plant fields of the vines in the 1940s.
Kudzu History
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Under ideal conditions kudzu vines can
grow sixty feet each year
The problem is that it just grows too well!
The climate of the Southeastern U.S. is perfect for kudzu.
The vines grow as much as a foot per day during summer months, climbing trees, power poles, and anything else they contact..
Kudzu Invades!
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In Georgia, the legend says that you must close your windows at night to keep it out of the house. The glass is tinged with green, even so...
According to tradition, most Southern mothers will keep a close eye on their kids during the summer months to prevent them from being chocked to death in their sleep by a wayward kudzu vine that has crawled through the bedroom window.
Kudzu Invades!
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Kudzu Invades!
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Kudzu Invades!
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Kudzu Invades!
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Kudzu Invades!
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Kudzu Invades!
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Kudzu Invades!
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Kudzu was recognized as a pest weed by the United States Department of Agriculture in 1953 , and was removed from its list of permissible cover plants. In 1972 USDA declared it a noxious weed.
Kudzu Issues
•Kudzu was recognized as a pest weed by the United States Department of Agriculture in 1953, and was removed from its list of permissible •Kudzu was recognized as a pest weed by the United States Department of Agriculture in 1953, and was removed from its list of permissible
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Long suffocating vines
Kudzu Issues
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Tap roots, rhizomes, and runners!
Kudzu Issues
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Huge roots!
Kudzu Issues
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Seeds which may not germinate for years giving rise to new plants long after the old vines are pulled out
Kudzu Issues
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No significant natural competitors or predators
Kudzu Issues
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Kudzu completely replaces existing vegetation
kudzu grows better in the South than it does in its native lands. Its natural insect enemies were not brought to the U.S. with it. Tourists come here amazed at our kudzu
Kudzu Issues
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Estimates of kudzu infestation in the southeast vary greatly, from as low as two million (Corley et al.., 1997) to as high as seven million acres (Everest et al.., 1991).
By one estimate, it spreads at the rate of 150,000 acres annually, easily outpacing the use of herbicide spraying and mowing, as well as increasing the costs of these controls by $6 million annually.
Kudzu Issues
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Dr. James Miller (USDA Forest Service plant ecologist, Auburn, Alabama), who has researched herbicides for kudzu control for the last 20 years, estimates control costs by power companies alone at $1.5 million per year.
“ODA officials are asking landowners to keep an eye out for additional outbreaks of kudzu, especially in parts of Western Oregon. Although there is no evidence that other infestations of the noxious weed have invaded Oregon, officials want residents to be aware of the potential. Early detection of new invader weeds makes it easier to eradicate or control before those weeds develop into larger problems for the environment. Any sightings should be reported to ODA’s Weed Control Program at (503) 986-4621.”
Kudzu Issues
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Any kind of control program must be coordinated with all landowners who share the infestation. Unless each landowner participates fully in the program, none will be successful.
Dr. James H. Miller of the U.S. Forest Service in Auburn, Alabama researched methods for killing kudzu. In eighteen years of research, he has found that one herbicide actually makes kudzu grow better while many have little effect.
Miller recommends repeated herbicide treatments for at least four years, but some kudzu plants may take as long as ten years to kill, even with the most effective herbicides.
Kudzu Issues
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According to the kudzu coalition:
Severing the crown from vines and roots kills the rooted plant: Vines do not bud from roots. It is unnecessary to dig up the tap root, which can be long, deeply buried, and heavy!
Kudzu Issues
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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)
the starchy tuberous roots can be prepared as any root vegetable
Kudzu Uses
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Kudzu wine!
Kudzu Uses
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Jams! Flowers smell and taste like grapes!
Kudzu Uses
For recipe and more of these beautiful pictures go to http://cricketbread.com/blog/2007/09/07/kudzu-blossom-jelly/
•When added to water and heated, kudzu powder becomes clear and adds stickiness to the food. It is sometimes known as "Japanese arrowroot
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Ummm….. Imported from Asia?
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.
Kudzu Uses
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Kudzu Fabrics
Kudzu Uses
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Kudzunol?
Researchers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Rowan Sage of the University of Toronto gathered samples of kudzu….
kudzu could produce 2.2-3.5 tons of carbohydrate per acre or about 270 gallons per acre of ethanol. Corn will produce approximately 210-310 gallons of ethanol per acre.
Kudzu Energy
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For the Heart
Compounds in kudzu may help to lower heart rate and regulate heart rhythm, in part by widening blood vessels near the heart.
Puerarin also has beta-blocking & calcium channel blocking properties thought to slow and steady the heartbeat and relax arteries in the heart.
Puerarin and perhaps other components of kudzu may promote the formation of new blood vessels around areas of heart tissue damaged by heart attacks or low blood supply.
Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol. 2010 Mar 22.
Kudzu Medicine
TCM daily dosage of kudzu is typically 9 grams of root, boiled for 45 to 60 minutes… Drink Tea
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Puerarin ,an isoflavone glycoside
Kudzu may relax blood vessels in the brain, which may help to relieve migraine headaches. kudzu flavonoids were found to dilate microscopic blood vessels in the brain and improve microcirculation
In a 1979 study in China, kudzu was found to result in a complete or major (80%) reduction of migraines in half the patients studied, while 75% experienced some benefit.
Kudzu Medicine
Phytomedicine. 2007 Oct;14(10):652-8. Epub 2007 Sep 17.
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Daidzein and Genisteine isoflavonoids
are phytoestrogens
Small studies of menopausal women, kudzu was mildly effective in relieving hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause.
Additional early results from animal studies suggest kudzu phytoestrogens may help to protect against bone loss .
Kudzu Medicine
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TCM- Traditional for hangovers and alcoholism
Animal studies showed kudzu reduced alcohol intake in rats.
Alcohol consumption was almost cut in half in moderately heavy drinkers given the herb extract in capsule form for a week before taking part in a drinking experiment
Kudzu is known to block two of the natural enzymes that break down alcohol in the body.
In other laboratory studies, kudzu also appeared to protect animal brain, liver, and spine cells from damage by alcohol and other toxic chemicals.
Also found to reduce blood sugar, possibly prevent diabetes…. Hangover effect.
Kudzu Medicine
Lukas SE, Penetar D, Berko J, Vicens L, Palmer C, Mallya G, Macklin EA, Lee DY. An extract of the Chinese herbal root kudzu reduces alcohol drinking by heavy drinkers in a naturalistic setting. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2005 May;29(5):756-62
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Not intended to replace the advice of a qualified health practitioner.
Participants are advised to further consult the professional literature
Many of these statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.
Information presented here is based on personal experience, traditional, and professional literature.
The mention of a specific brand name is not an endorsement of the product.
Herbal Medicine Consultant educational, clinical, research
Coordinator, Appalachian Center for Ethnobotanical StudiesFrostburg State University106 Compton Science Center Frostburg, MD 21532Office: 301-687-3136Email: [email protected]
Uses of Kudzu was prepared and presented for the Mountain Herbalist Series under grant USDA 2009-38922-20155
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