Invasive species are found all over the world; some of the most problematic include spotted lanternflies, English ivy, and Japanese knotweed. Another hugely invasive plant, especially in the American South, is kudzu. One person shared their experience putting the problematic plant to good use.
In a post shared to X, formerly known as Twitter, Luna Oi! (@LunaOi_VN) responded to another post about the invasive species.
In Vietnam we eat kudzu, it is so delicious. We also make tea out of it and make a drink out of crushed root. It is a delicious and versatile plant, but when I visited the USA south everyone looked at me like I was crazy when I said how delicious it is! https://t.co/zGLYTm55AF
— Luna Oi! 👁 UK/USA Expert/Human Rights Watcher 👁 (@LunaOi_VN) June 9, 2024
"In Vietnam we eat kudzu, it is so delicious," Luna said. "We also make tea out of it and make a drink out of crushed root. It is a delicious and versatile plant, but when I visited the USA south everyone looked at me like I was crazy when I said how delicious it is!"
The photos attached to the X post that elicited Luna's response are striking, with vines covering entire fields, trees, and seemingly an abandoned structure. While kudzu is listed on the USDA's invasive species page, there is evidence that the reports of these vines devouring the American South are overblown.
Smithsonian Magazine wrote, "In the latest careful sampling, the U.S. Forest Service reports that kudzu occupies…about 227,000 acres of forestland, an area about the size of a small county. … That's about one-tenth of 1 percent of the South's 200 million acres of forest. By way of comparison, the same report estimates that Asian privet had invaded some 3.2 million acres — 14 times kudzu's territory."
While kudzu is a highly invasive plant, there may be more hope of tackling its spread than some may believe. Especially since, as this social media user shared, it's edible. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported on kudzu and its potential culinary use in 2018. They wrote, "Kudzu seeds and seed pods aren't edible, but the leaves, roots, flowers and vine tips are."
Where it is growing voraciously, there is ample opportunity for foraging, but some plants could have been treated with pesticides, so it's best to be cautious when foraging.
In replies to the X post, Luna shared a couple of ways they use kudzu, including boiling the roots like potatoes and making kudzu starch to use in soups and drinks.
One commenter also replied with a rebuttal questioning how they could be tasty, saying, "I'm confused. The past two weekends I've been pulling kudzu that was taking over my trees and had even latched on to my air conditioning unit. It smells like stink bugs. Exactly like stink bugs."
Though another said they had been previously tempted by the smell: "This is so cool. ... I've always wondered about uses like this bc it smells SO good."
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