kudzu was introduced to the united states in 1876.
when was kudzu introduced to the united states?
in 1876
the kudzu plant was introduced to the united states from japan in 1876 at the centennial exposition in philadelphia. kudzu was introduced to the southeast in 1883 at the new orleans exposition. the vine was widely marketed in the southeast as an ornamental plant to be used to shade porches, and in the first half of the 20th century, kudzu was distributed as a high-protein content cattle fodder and as a cover plant to prevent soil erosion. it was cultivated by civilian conservation corps workers as a solution for the erosion during the dust bowl. the soil erosion service recommended the use of kudzu to help control erosion of slopes which led to the government-aided distribution of 85 million seedlings and government-funded plantings of kudzu which paid $19.75 per hectare. by 1946, it was estimated that of kudzu had been planted. when boll weevil infestations and the failure of cotton crops caused farmers to abandon their farms, kudzu plantings were left unattended. the climate and environment of the southeastern united states allowed the kudzu to grow virtually unchecked. in 1953 the united states department of agriculture removed kudzu from a list of suggested cover plants and listed it as a weed in 1970. by 1997, the vine was placed on the "federal noxious weed list". today, kudzu is estimated to cover of land in the southeastern united states, mostly in alabama, georgia, tennessee, florida, north carolina, south carolina and mississippi. it has been recorded in nova scotia, canada, in columbus, ohio, and in all five boroughs of new york city.
kudzu in the united states
kudzu can be used by grazing animals, as it is high in quality as a forage and palatable to livestock. it can be grazed until frost and even slightly after. kudzu had been used in the southern united states specifically to feed goats on land that had limited resources. kudzu hay typically has a 15–18% crude protein content and over 60% total digestible nutrient value. the quality of the leaves decreases, however, as vine content increases relative to the leaf content. kudzu also has low forage yields despite its rate of growth, yielding around two to four tons of dry matter per acre annually. it is also difficult to bale due to its vining growth and its slowness in shedding water. this makes it necessary to place kudzu hay under sheltered protection after being baled. fresh kudzu is readily consumed by all types of grazing animals, but frequent grazing over three to four years can ruin even established stands. thus, kudzu only serves well as a grazing crop on a temporary basis.
kudzu