Picture of the Day - 8/22/2010

Kudzu in West Virginia - Kudzu is gradually taking over the southeastern U.S. Introduced from Japan in 1876, as a forage crop in Florida. Kudzu has been spreading at the rate of 150,000 acres annually and is rapidly increasing. A you can see from this picture by Sheila, it transforms the native plants and trees into grotesque forms. For successful long-term control of Kudzu, it is necessary to destroy most of the root system (down below the crown) as well as all the runners. The city of Chattanooga, Tennessee has undertaken a trial program using goats and llamas that graze on the plant. If left uncontrolled, it will eventually cover old buildings, telephone poles and abandoned vehicles.