It creeps along the ground silently waiting for the moment to attack. It can slowly strangle the life out of a tree or bush. Stand still. Watch it for a while. It looks so innocent, and the purple flowers smell so good. But be careful. When you see it move, hightail it out of there, or it just might catch a hold of you. It’s the plant that ate Mississippi. It’s kudzu.

Kudzu is not native to this country. It originated in Asia and was introduced as an ornamental plant to the United States by Japan in 1876. Its dense foliage was thought to be attractive and perfect for shading a porch. With no natural enemies and a warm, humid climate, kudzu quickly took root in Mississippi and in the rest of the South and grew. Soon farmers were paying folks to try to help them get rid of the kudzu.

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