kudzu

In Southern speech, "kudzu" means more than a plant - it’s the vine that covers trees, barns, and fence rows all across the South. Introduced for erosion control, it grew so fast it earned the nickname "the vine that ate the South."

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Hillbilly Dude Says...

Oh 'kudzu' is dern near everywhere.

Pronunciation

[KUD-zoo]

Meaning & Usage

- A fast-growing invasive vine (noun)

Mae:

What’s all that green coverin’ them trees?

Earl:

That’s kudzu - takes over everything.

- A symbol of the South (noun, figurative)

Mae:

Seen much of the South yet?

Earl:

If you seen kudzu, you seen plenty.

other spellings: the vine that ate the South, creeping vine, cover crop, kudzu-covered hill, barn’s swallowed in kudzu, and kudzu all down the roadside

★ Kudzu can grow a foot a day in warm weather. Folks joke that if you stop moving, it’ll climb you, too. ★

Origin

Kudzu was brought from Asia in the late 1800s and planted widely in the South during the 1930s-40s to fight soil erosion. It thrived in the hot, humid climate, spreading far beyond control. Southerners turned it into a lasting image of the region.

Notes

Kudzu is most strongly associated with the American South, where it covers millions of acres. It’s known elsewhere in the U.S., but outside the South people usually know it only by reputation.

Say It Like a Southerner

Said plain: "cud-zoo." Always two syllables, never "kood-zoo."

Kin Topics

Kin Words, Stories and More

Common Questions

Is kudzu native to the South?

No - it was imported from Asia but naturalized in the South.

Why is it called "the vine that ate the South"?

Because it grows so fast it can smother trees, fences, and even houses.

Do people outside the South see kudzu?

Rarely - it grows in some other states, but it’s a Southern sight first and foremost.