Wait a minute!  That's not right!  The state flower for the state of Georgia is the beautiful Cherokee Rose.

But, one might think Kudzu is as it grows rampant here.  It is a vine that is truly fascinating. I had never seen anything like it until I moved here.  In the spring and summer it seems to take over trees, plants and even houses.  I could see a good Stephen King novel and movie come out of it. (smile)

Kudzu Facts

Kudzu is native to Japan and China, however it grows well in the Southeastern United States. The kudzu vine will grow as much as a foot a day under good growing conditions. Kudzu over a period of several years will kill trees by blocking the sunlight. For this and other reasons many would like to find ways to get rid of it. However, the flowers which bloom in late summer have a very pleasant fragrance and the shapes and forms created by kudzu vines growing over trees and bushes can be pleasing to the eye. The first frost will turn these shapes into dead leaves and soon after just gray vines. The next summer kudzu will continue growing. These vines also will cover buildings and parked vehicles if no attempt is made to control its growth. A number of abandoned houses, vehicles and barns so covered can be seen in Georgia and other southern states. The photos of kudzu shown above were taken in the vicinity of Dahlonega, Georgia, a delightful historic town in the mountains of North Georgia best known as the site of the first major gold rush in the U. S. in 1828.

Uses for Kudzu

You would be amazed what ingenious Georgians have come up with for the use of this menacing vine.   The saying is "It's free, so why not use it." The rubber like vines are great for decorative and functional creations.  People have made baskets, collages and even eat the stuff.  Don't believe me?  Check out some of these recipes:

Kudzu Blossom Jelly

• 4 cups Kudzu blossoms
• 4 cups boiling water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 (1 3/4-ounce) package powered pectin
• 5 cups sugar
   
• WASH kudzu blossoms with cold water, and place them in a large bowl. Pour 4 cups boiling water over blossoms, and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
• POUR blossoms and liquid through a colander into a Dutch oven, discarding blossoms.
• ADD lemon juice and pectin; bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly.
• Stir in sugar; return to a full rolling boil, and boil, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Remove from heat; skim off foam with a spoon.
• QUICKLY pour jelly into hot, sterilized jars, filling to 1/4 inch from top. Wipe jar rims. Cover at once with metal lids, and screw on bands.
• PROCESS in boiling water bath 5 minutes. Cool on wire racks. YIELD: 6 half pints
• NOTE : Blossom liquid is gray until lemon juice is added.

Rolled Kudzu Leaves

• Kudzu Leaves
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3 cloves garlic, cut in half
• Juice of 3 lemons
• Soup bones (optional)

  
  Gather about 30 medium size young kudzu leaves. ( The very big ones have tough center and radiating stem
  veins ) . Make sure area has not been sprayed with chemicals to kill the kudzu.

  Wash leaves. Drop into salted boiling water. Boil a 2-3 minutes, separating leaves.. Remove to a plate to cool. Remove heavy center stems from the leaves by using a knife and cutting down each side of the stem  to about the middle of the leaf. Push cut together and fill with 1 teaspoon stuffing and roll in the shape of a cigar. Place something in bottom of a large pan so that rolled leaves will not sit directly on the bottom of the pan. I use a round rack that came with my pressure cooker. Soup bones work great.

  Arrange kudzu rolls alternately in opposite directions. When all are in the pot, pour in a can diced tomatoes, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 3 cloves of garlic, cut in half. Press down with an inverted dish and add water to reach dish. Cover pot and cook on medium for 30 mins. Add lemon juice and cook 10 mins more.

   

  

  Learn More about this amazing plant at the following sites

  Kudzu Collection	Kudzu Kingdom	The Kudzu File
  Kudzu The Vine	Kudzu Festival	Truth About Kudzu

  

           

   

   

  

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