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Fabaceae
Kudzu Flower
Pueraria montana var. lobata
Overwhelming persistence.
- Family
- Fabaceae
- Genus
- Pueraria
- Native to
- Japan, China, Southeast Asia
- Bloom season
- Summer, Fall
- Type
- vine
- Height
- 30-100 ft
- Sunlight
- full sun to partial shade
- Soil
- any soil type
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- 5-10
- Lifespan
- perennial
Did you know
- Kudzu can grow up to one foot per day during summer, earning it the nickname 'the vine that ate the South.'
- It was intentionally introduced to the US at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition as an ornamental vine.
- The US government paid farmers to plant kudzu during the 1930s-1940s to control soil erosion, a decision later deeply regretted.
- The grape-scented purple flowers can be made into jelly, syrup, and even wine in southern Appalachian traditions.
- In Japan, kudzu root starch called 'kuzu' is a prized ingredient used in traditional sweets, noodles, and medicines for centuries.
Color meanings
0
persistence
1
overwhelming growth
2
adaptability