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Also called Pueraria lobata, "the plant that ate the South", "the vine that ate the South" and "the scourge of the South". The common name "kudzu" may refer to this species, sister-species Pueraria edulis and Pueraria phaseoloides, and hybrids between them.
All these are part of genus Pueraria in 🥜︎ legume / bean / pea family Fabaceae in order Fabales.
Native to 🇨🇳 China, 🇰🇵 🇰🇷 Korea, and 🇯🇵 Japan. 🗺 Map by county (🇺🇸 USA-48) (color key). Invasive > learn+quiz Invasive > 🌐︎ global Invasive > 🇨🇦 Canada, 🇺🇸 USA Invasive > report it! Invasive > 🇺🇸 USA Invasive > 🇺🇸 USA (variety lobata) Invasive > Michigan
Uses by native peoples(Ethnobotany database) On No-Planting List by Seneca Nation of Indians SNI. (page 64)
Like most legumes, this plant cooperates with a bacterium that fixes atmospheric nitrogen into a form usable by plants and animals.That allows these plants to:outcompete non-nitrogen-fixing plants in poorer soils, orhave seeds and foliage with more protein.This makes their seeds and foliage more nutritious to plant-eaters. And growing these plants may improve the quality of worn-out farmland and disturbed soils.
Fact sheet (Ontario) Fact sheet (Ontario) 🇫🇷 en français Control and Alternatives (Maryland) (pages 5 and 6) Biological Control in Eastern USA (page 333)
🔍︎ 🔍︎ images Discover Life Encyclopedia of Life Michigan Flora NRCS PLANTS db USFS Wikipedia
🏠︎ 🌳︎ broadleaves, ╫ opposite, 🌿︎ compound ⚘ ❀ flowers