kudzu
Pueraria lobata
click thumbnail to enlarge
Form & Habitat
kudzu form & habitat kudzu form & habitat kudzu form & habitat
Leaves
Twigs
kudzu twig
Bark
Flowers
kudzu flowers kudzu flowers kudzu flowers kudzu flowers
Fruit
kudzu fruit (immature) kudzu fruit (immature) kudzu fruit (seeds)
  • FAMILY: FABACEAE
  • ALTERNATE COMMON NAME:
  • LEAVES: trifoliate, leaflets ovate to rhombic, entire to 3-lobed; petioles longer than leaflets
  • FLOWER: axillary racemes of purple flowers; flowers indeterminant
  • FRUIT: legumes, brown, 3-5 cm; not frequantly produced
  • STEM: new growth densely hairy, twining
  • BARK:
  • FORM: high-climbing vine; very fast growing
  • HABITAT: old fields, forest edges, rights-of-way
  • WETLAND DESIGNATION: Facultative Upland (FACU): Usually occurs in non-wetlands, but may occur in wetlands of the Atlantic and Gulf Coast Plain Region
  • RANGE: southeast US; native of Japan
  • USES: cattle browse; food-grade starch
    • Best Recognition Features:
    1. high-climbing vine with hairy stems
    2. trifoilate leaves
    3. axillary racemes of purple flowers

    COMMENTS: originally imported for erosion control (failed attempt - it shades out other plants, and when it drops its leaves in the fall, exposes bare soil to rain); now a very serious pest of young forests and utility rights-of-way
    LSU School of Renewable Natural Resources

    School of Renewable Natural Reources    		 Louisiana Plant Identification and Interactive Virtual Tours
    Dr. Chris S. Reid, Project Director | creid4@lsu.edu
    LSU School of Renewable Natural Resources
    LSU AgCenter, Baton Rouge, LA
    © 2003-2020

    website problems or broken links: mbowen@agcenter.lsu.edu
    page revised: 15-Jan-2020 4:11 PM  msb    		 LSU AgCenter

    LSU AgCenter
    Provide Website Feedback   |  Accessibility Statement