How did I not notice this beginning infestation of kudzu in the oneacrewoods?  I’ve heard it grows up to 12 inches a day and is pretty hard to kill.  I know it came from next door where it grows on the fence but it seemed to be pretty well contained for several years now. I guess it grew roots under the driveway and now it’s climbing my large grapefruit trees.  It smothers other plants by depriving them of light and weighing them down. I’ve been reading up on it. 

On the other hand it is a pretty plant. It is good to eat – think like spinach. Goats like to eat it. You can make baskets out of the vines. It is medicine for migraines and helps alcoholics not want to drink so much. I’m eating some as we speak and it doesn’t taste too bad. You can make jelly out of the flowers. It puts nitrogen into the soil and improves it.

So, I’m undecided.  Something that grows that fast could be hard to keep under control, especially when I have long periods of neglecting the yard, which I occassionally do. But maybe, someday, I’ll have to eat it to keep alive.  Maybe I’ll have to make baskets to earn a living? I’m just sayin’ it could be a good thing.