KUDZU GONE WILD - Solution Becomes Problem

(05/05/2024)

Between Munday Road and the Annamoriah Bridge on Rt. 5, you'll find Kudzu gone wild, and other parts of Calhoun County.

Road banks, fences and poles are covered with the plant.

In Arnoldsburg a couple of buildings are completely covered.

The "ground cover" is causing complaints around West Virginia, with some efforts to eradicate it.

Killing kudzu is next to impossible.

"I know of one thing that will keep this plant under control - goats," said Elva Lamont Of Lucky Hearts Dairy Goat Farm of Calhoun.

According to Wikipedia, Kudzu is sometimes referred to as "the plant that ate the South", a reference to how kudzu's explosive growth has been most prolific in the southeastern United States due to nearly ideal growing conditions. Significant sums of money and effort are spent each growing season to prevent kudzu from taking over roads, bridges, power lines, and local vegetation.

Kudzu was promoted by the government as a solution to to cover areas prone to slips, and like the Multi-flora rose to replace farmer's fences, hasn't worked out well.

Read more about Kudzu at  Wikipedia