Bloomin' Kudzu

Kudzu, nicknamed, "the vine that ate the south," is in full bloom now in Greensboro. Kudzu comes by this nickname honestly as it is a menacing vine that takes over everything in its path and can regenerate years after you think it is gone. In 1876, the vine was introduced to the USA from Japan. It is a member of the legume family, a relative to the pea with fuzzy pea pods. Kudzu can be used to feed livestock; to make soap, lotions, jelly, and compost. The starch from the root can be eaten. In Vietnam, it is used as a summer drink. In Japan, kudzu tea is known as 'kuzuyu." The Chinese consider it one of the fifty fundamental herbs. Harvard Medical School is actually investigating the possibility of controlling alcoholic cravings with kudzu. If Outback Steak House can serve a blooming onion, perhaps Bloomin' Kudzu can have its debut at the North Carolina State Fair. Regardless, we're still bundling it and kicking it to the curb for yard-waste day!  

After spending the afternoon removing kudzu in our back yard, and since it hasn't made us rich yet, we figured we might as well get a Mellow Yellow Monday photo out of our effort!  Wikipedia has lots of interesting kudzu information, much of which we posted above and more is available  (here). Post your 101 uses for kudzu idea here!  -->  -->  -->

 

Comments

[Liz]

first time I've seen a kudzu. Thanks for sharing. :)

Happy MYM!

Liz @ MLC

[Gayle]

I've never heard of kudzu before. Sounds like it has a lot of uses.

[Julie]

Sounds like a pest! We have our fair share of that sort of weed here in Oz, Paterson's Curse being one of them. It tends to have no redeeming features, though.

[ann chin, New Zealand]

what a pity, people should be educated to use it. I recognised from the name that it must have come from somewhere

[Stephanie V]

I never knew kudzu had any good uses...just heard it was an invasive introduced weed. The uses probably don't overcome it's nuisance factor, although the flowers are pretty enough.

[RamblingRound]

I've been looking for these blooms and haven't found them yet. I think they may have bloomed already.