Appearance Pueraria montana var. lobata is a climbing, deciduous vine capable of reaching lengths of over 100 ft. (30.5 m) in a single season. Its fleshy tap roots can reach 7 in. (18 cm) in width and grow to 9 ft. (3.8 m) deep. These roots can weigh up to 400 lbs. (180 kg). Foliage Leaves are alternate, compound (with three, usually lobed, leaflets), hairy underneath and up to 5.4 in. (15 cm) long. Flowers Flowering occurs in midsummer, when 0.5 in. (1.3 cm) long, purple, fragrant flowers hang, in clusters, in the axils of the leaves. Fruit Fruit are brown, hairy, flat, 3 in. (7.6 cm) long, 0.3 in. (0.8 cm) wide seed pods. Each pod can contain 3-10 hard seeds. Ecological Threat Preferred habitat includes open, disturbed areas such as roadsides, right-of-ways, forest edges, and old fields. Pueraria montana var. lobata often grows over, shades out and kills all other vegetation, including trees. It is native to Asia and was first introduced into the United States in 1876 at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition. It was widely planted throughout the eastern United States in an attempt to control erosion.

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kudzu (<em>Pueraria montana var. lobata</em>) flower(s)

David J. Moorhead, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org

kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata) flower(s)

James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org

October

Ronald F. Billings, Texas A&M Forest Service, Bugwood.org

An invasive plant in the South

Chuck Bargeron, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org

in September

kudzu (<em>Pueraria montana var. lobata</em>) flower(s)

Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental, Bugwood.org

kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata) flower(s)

James H. Miller & Ted Bodner, Southern Weed Science Society, Bugwood.org

November

Kudzu kills trees by shading them and spreads inexorably, mostly through soil movement and vegetative growth

Kerry Britton, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org

Kudzu kills trees by shading them and spreads inexorably, mostly through soil movement and vegetative growth

Golden hairy young vines and silvery backside of leaflet in July

James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org

Golden hairy young vines and silvery backside of leaflet in July

four years after planted on eroded field in 1939

USDA NRCS , USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Bugwood.org

four years after planted on eroded field in 1939

USDA NRCS , USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Bugwood.org

pigs grazing on field

cattle grazing on field interplanted with caley pear to extend grazing in 1949

USDA NRCS , USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Bugwood.org

cattle grazing on field interplanted with caley pear to extend grazing in 1949

Jil Swearingen, USDI National Park Service, Bugwood.org

Stop Kudzu! Brookside Gardens

kudzu (<em>Pueraria montana var. lobata</em>) infestation

Charles T. Bryson, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org

kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata) infestation

Randy Cyr, Greentree, Bugwood.org

Winter photo. Travelers Rest, SC.

kudzu (<em>Pueraria montana var. lobata</em>) infestation

Chris Evans, University of Illinois, Bugwood.org

kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata) infestation

Completely covering a road cut-through. Floyd County, KY.

Chris Evans, University of Illinois, Bugwood.org

Completely covering a road cut-through. Floyd County, KY.

kudzu (<em>Pueraria montana var. lobata</em>) infestation

John D. Byrd, Mississippi State University, Bugwood.org

kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata) infestation

Winter scene of vines draped in tree crowns. Macon, Georgia

David J. Moorhead, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org

Winter scene of vines draped in tree crowns. Macon, Georgia

Jerry Asher, USDI Bureau of Land Management, Bugwood.org

Covering an old house in the South.

Chris Evans, University of Illinois, Bugwood.org

Covering a house

kudzu (<em>Pueraria montana var. lobata</em>) infestation

David J. Moorhead, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org

kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata) infestation

kudzu (<em>Pueraria montana var. lobata</em>) infestation

Johnny Randall, North Carolina Botanical Garden, Bugwood.org

kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata) infestation

Sprouts developing at root crowns in April following a winter burn.

David J. Moorhead, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org

Sprouts developing at root crowns in April following a winter burn.

kudzu (<em>Pueraria montana var. lobata</em>) infestation

John D. Byrd, Mississippi State University, Bugwood.org

kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata) infestation

John D. Byrd, Mississippi State University, Bugwood.org

Aerial herbicide application

Broadcast treatment of herbicide spray to kudzu.

James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org

Broadcast treatment of herbicide spray to kudzu.

James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org

November

David J. Moorhead, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org

resprouting from root crown after fire

David J. Moorhead, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org

resprouting from root crown after fire

Robert L. Anderson, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org

infestation, SC

Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental, Bugwood.org

flowers habit with ridge

Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental, Bugwood.org

tuberous root

kudzu (<em>Pueraria montana var. lobata</em>) seed(s)

Steve Hurst, USDA NRCS PLANTS Database, Bugwood.org

kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata) seed(s)

kudzu (<em>Pueraria montana var. lobata</em>) seedling(s)

Nancy Dagley, USDI National Park Service, Bugwood.org

kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata) seedling(s)

David J. Moorhead, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org

invading a cotton field

kudzu (<em>Pueraria montana var. lobata</em>) flower(s)

kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata) flower(s)

October

An invasive plant in the South

in September

kudzu (<em>Pueraria montana var. lobata</em>) flower(s)

kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata) flower(s)

November

Kudzu kills trees by shading them and spreads inexorably, mostly through soil movement and vegetative growth

Kudzu kills trees by shading them and spreads inexorably, mostly through soil movement and vegetative growth

Golden hairy young vines and silvery backside of leaflet in July

Golden hairy young vines and silvery backside of leaflet in July

four years after planted on eroded field in 1939

four years after planted on eroded field in 1939

pigs grazing on field

cattle grazing on field interplanted with caley pear to extend grazing in 1949

cattle grazing on field interplanted with caley pear to extend grazing in 1949

Stop Kudzu! Brookside Gardens

kudzu (<em>Pueraria montana var. lobata</em>) infestation

kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata) infestation

Winter photo. Travelers Rest, SC.

kudzu (<em>Pueraria montana var. lobata</em>) infestation

kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata) infestation

Completely covering a road cut-through. Floyd County, KY.

Completely covering a road cut-through. Floyd County, KY.

kudzu (<em>Pueraria montana var. lobata</em>) infestation

kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata) infestation

Winter scene of vines draped in tree crowns. Macon, Georgia

Winter scene of vines draped in tree crowns. Macon, Georgia

Covering an old house in the South.

Covering a house

kudzu (<em>Pueraria montana var. lobata</em>) infestation

kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata) infestation

kudzu (<em>Pueraria montana var. lobata</em>) infestation

kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata) infestation

Sprouts developing at root crowns in April following a winter burn.

Sprouts developing at root crowns in April following a winter burn.

kudzu (<em>Pueraria montana var. lobata</em>) infestation

kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata) infestation

Aerial herbicide application

Broadcast treatment of herbicide spray to kudzu.

Broadcast treatment of herbicide spray to kudzu.

November

resprouting from root crown after fire

resprouting from root crown after fire

infestation, SC

flowers habit with ridge

tuberous root

kudzu (<em>Pueraria montana var. lobata</em>) seed(s)

kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata) seed(s)

kudzu (<em>Pueraria montana var. lobata</em>) seedling(s)

kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata) seedling(s)

invading a cotton field