This Ruthless Invasive Vine Wants To Take Over New York

If I said the word "kudzu" to you, what comes to mind? A new video game, a new way to sneeze, or maybe a new instrument? Nope, it's a crazy vine called kudzu that can grow up to a hundred feet a year and completely take over everything?

Kudzu is called the "vine that ate the South" (and now it's in 30 states). It's not just a little cute plant, it's invasive vine has some hairy long vines and big dark-green leaves with oval-to-heart-shaped leaflets.

It may look beautiful with its clusters of pretty purple flowers in late summer. But don't be fooled by its beauty, because this thing is a complete monster. Kudzu likes to spread, and does it two different ways.

One way is by sending out new vines from its roots, getting more and more limbs looking like a creepy monster. It also has seeds that can become new kudzu plants and  it loves to make itself at home wherever it can find open areas.

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Whether it's a roadside ditch or field, it'll be happy. However, it can crowd out the native plant species, completely take over trees, and wreak havoc on the entire ecosystem. People have been trying to figure out how to deal with kudzu and they've tried almost everything.

They've tried everything from yanking it out by hand, spraying it with herbicides, to controlled fires. This kudzu monster just won't quit, it's like the cockroach of the plant world.

The policy with kudzu is different for every state and region. Some places see it as an invasive species and are trying to control the spread. Others are still trying to figure out what to do. In New York, it is against environmental policy to grow this thing, so don’t.