seeing more Kudzu around (Kansas City, St. Louis: Home Depot, eat, trees)

[onegoalstl]

Never got around to posting this, but the last couple years I've been noticing more patches of the annoying Kudzu vines around town. I know the Ozarks, and Southeast MO have problems with it as they're warmer, but I didn't know it was being found a lot up north in KC and Stl as much, but even the state now lists Kudzu being found in KC and Stl. I know Stl is just north of the sub tropics barrier so I guess during warmer winters it survives little easier. I notice even a few places in NORTHERN Indiana have it. How can it survive in that cold of conditions up there? Like behind a Home Depot near me there is some of it growing, and spreading.

I've read Kudzu has even been found in New York City.

Will fire ants make it this far north? They have them in the bootheel I hear now. I remember those in Florida. I hated those bastards.



In Missouri, kudzu has been found locally in Jackson, St. Louis, Howard, Christian, Wayne, Reynolds, Douglas, Newton, Lawrence, Ralls and Taney counties. Patches have also been sighted along the route of Old U. S. Highway 66 in Phelps Co. and along U. S. Highway 67 in Madison and St. Francois counties


Kudzu Control | MDC

[pams73]

Kudzu is like cochroaches...it can withstand almost anything short of a nuclear blast.

[kshe95girl]

Goats love kudzu, we dont have any on our property in Florida anymore, the goats ate it all.

[lifelongMOgal]

Good to know, I haven't seen any yet but I'll be keeping an eye out for it. Thanks for posting.

[GunnerTHB]

If you wanna see Kudzu go to Ballard County Kentucky along Highway 121 or down Route 3 in Illinois to Cairo. It's so bad through there it covers up the speed limit signs and the guard rails. Missouri doesn't have any place that I've seen that is nearly that bad with regards to Kudzu.

[lifelongMOgal]

Originally Posted by GunnerTHB

If you wanna see Kudzu go to Ballard County Kentucky along Highway 121 or down Route 3 in Illinois to Cairo. It's so bad through there it covers up the speed limit signs and the guard rails. Missouri doesn't have any place that I've seen that is nearly that bad with regards to Kudzu.

Been there, done that. You are correct, it is bad in that part of KY. There and in Western North Carolina are about as bad as I've seen it. If you stand still for 15 min your likely to be covered.

[ShadowCaver]

Was amazing sight to see... when moved to the Chattanooga area years ago, after a severe t'storm knocked a bunch of trees down - drove by not a week later, and that menace was already growing all over 'em. For a light-hearted take on this weed: SouthernAngel.com Kudzu: Friend, Foe, or Food? [also check out the recipes,,, yes, you can eat this tasty plant ]

[onegoalstl]

Originally Posted by GunnerTHB

If you wanna see Kudzu go to Ballard County Kentucky along Highway 121 or down Route 3 in Illinois to Cairo. It's so bad through there it covers up the speed limit signs and the guard rails. Missouri doesn't have any place that I've seen that is nearly that bad with regards to Kudzu.

It seems states east of the Mississippi have more of a Kudzu problem than west of it. I guess because it possibly started east of the river, and it's harder for it to spread to the other side of the river?

[GunnerTHB]

Originally Posted by onegoalstl

It seems states east of the Mississippi have more of a Kudzu problem than west of it. I guess because it possibly started east of the river, and it's harder for it to spread to the other side of the river?

Doubt it. People cut firewood and take it across the Mississippi quite regularly. I have a hard time believing it wouldn't spread that way but I could be wrong. I'm not too knowledgeable on Kudzu vine.

[stlouisan]

I was shocked to see it driving along I-70 to Kansas City several years ago. Now it's popping up in St. Louis. Either global warming is really happening, or kudzu is really just on a northward migration!