Rapid Growth Rate Of The Kudzu Vine

Vines these days are often used as paint alternatives.  Painting walls, fences, or facades of edifices can be a time-consuming, exhaustive undertaking.  Growing vines to give these surfaces an amazing texture and a wondrous appearance, on the other hand, though it may not be easier, is a lot more fun.

And among the many varieties of vines, the Kudzu vine is probably the most popular vine that is best suited for such purposes.  This vine grows fast - furiously fast - and covers a large expanse within a year's time.  One vine can grow as much as 70 feet per annum!  And given this vine's beautiful foliage and lovely blooms, trimming is rarely resorted to.

So potent is this vine's property that in the 1940s, radio personality Channing Cope led a campaign in his district of Covington, Georgia to plant Kudzu vine seeds in elevated areas to solve the perennial problem of erosion.  The plan worked, and for a time, this kind of vine was hailed as a Southern Pride.  Some quarters even hailed it as the "miracle vine."

There are other practical uses for this vine.  Their rubbery stems have made them perfect materials for the basket weaving industry for many decades now.  Likewise, their intrinsic properties have been proven to have medicinal effects, which led to some enterprises harvesting these vines and creating herbal supplements from them.

In 1972, however, the USDA declared the Kudzu vine to be a weed.  The reason?  In forests where this vine was allowed to grow, it was discovered that they tend to spread so fast that they deprive trees of the essential sunlight they need for survival. 

This led to a rather reserved period of dormancy with regards to the vine's popularity.

It is only towards the end of the 1980s when the Kudzu vine once again rose to prominence.  As we have discussed in the beginning of this piece, people started to discover the many uses for the vine.  It has so much to offer that people cannot simply dismiss it as weed. 

Currently, there is a shortage of Kudzu sprouts in gardening stores, given the strong demand for the same.  Luckily, you could always try segmentation.  Cut a stem from growing Kudzus, and plant the same on the location where you want it to grow.  These vines are hardy.  They are perfect for any weather condition, and caring for them should not be difficult.