Sunday, August 28, 2011

Kudzu

Photobucket

Kudzu, also known as "the vine that ate the south". If you've ever been to the south in the summer you've seen it's huge leaves covering everything in sight, growing over the tops of trees, and smothering everything underneath it. Kudzu is an extremely invasive import from Asia that was originally expected to be a roadside saviour - it was brought in to control erosion. Instead, like a lot of other things, it decided it really liked the south and it took over. It can grow 12 inches in one day. And it spreads by underground roots so you can think you've killed it and, Surprise!, it shows up someplace else. But it does have one good point - it has beautiful, fragrant flowers. Kudzu isn't covered in blooms so it's easy to overlook them. But if you are anywhere near them you know they are there. They have a wonderful, sweet grape smell. The blooms remind me somewhat of an upright wisteria, but they are more red purple than lavender purple. Wish I could share the smell with you over the internet but you'll have to settle for a picture.


Joy Journal: The company of creative people.

2 comments:

Shelley said...

Too bad it's so invasive. The flowers are beautiful, and I can almost imagine the aroma from your description. Thanks for sharing this bit of the south. I always wondered what kudzu looked like.

Krafty Kat said...

So funny, Ernie. I almost made this exact same statement myself. The smell of its flowers is one of the most heavenly things in the world. Better than honeysuckle.