5/20/2023 0 Comments Kudzu mochiIt won't grow in central Wisconsin, but zone 5 is not far from here. That is not how you commercialize a staple. Kudzu can grow up to a foot a day, eventually stretching to 100 ft. "IDENTIFICATION - Known as “the vine that ate the South,” this perennial weed thrives in USDA zones 5 to 11 from Florida to Oklahoma and north to Connecticut and Illinois. This approach is very successful in Asia, where kudzu is valued as a production crop. The first is industrialized commercial production. And I think there are two ways to look at it. I think we all agree that all parts of the kudzu plant are useful and therefore worthy of production. ![]() M Wilcox wrote:I lived in the south for 7 years and I was so surprised that kudzu wasn't being monetized! Historically, though, none of these "pro-kudzu" campaigns ever caught on. Matthew Nistico wrote:Over the decades, there have been a couple movements to start new industries around kudzu in order to cash in on the vine's remarkable vitality, hailing it as the potential wonder-crop of the new century. Why not have kudzu factories in the South? The problem is the solution. It's very healthful and buying it from Japan is expensive. cheersĬara Campbell wrote:I've long wondered why kudzu isn't controlled by using it as a cash-crop. Leif Kravis wrote:There is a market for the stuff, just thought i'd throw it out here for our southern members. I would also imagine that the rapid growth could make kudzu a good candidate for producing bio-mass for energy production.? Also, fibers from the vines themselves were traditionally processed to make a water-resistant form of "hemp" for clothing. When you are finished extracting the starch, the left-over root fibers can be chopped and used as reinforcement in plaster and other earthen building materials. There are a couple more traditional uses that I remember. And people have mentioned making teas and jellies from the fragrant flowers, which have a scent like crushed grapes. I see that people here have already mentioned using the starch extracted from the large roots. ![]() Interestingly enough, those traditional uses did not include animal fodder, at least not in Japan, where kudzu grows mostly in the deep mountains. These campaigns either centered around its value as animal fodder, or around fostering new markets in the USA for kudzu products as had been traditionally made in Asia. ![]() Over the decades, there have been a couple movements to start new industries around kudzu in order to cash in on the vine's remarkable vitality, hailing it as the potential wonder-crop of the new century. Now, of course, we recognize that those same traits make it a difficult invasive to control. Put simply, large portions of the South were quickly washing down into the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, and kudzu was seen as the most cost-effective way to stabilize the soil due to its lightening-fast growth and deep root structure. Deforestation and poor agricultural practices had lead to the spread of gullies, which accelerate erosion. But it first came into widespread use when it was introduced as erosion control in the South in the early 20th Century. It existed in an ornamental capacity for some years after that only in a small area around Washington DC. It was first brought to North America from Japan as an ornamental, I think at an exhibit at a World Fair or similar event. Kudzu is indeed a fascinating species! I did a research project into the vine in college.
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