Tag: kudzu

Kudzu Kills: New Research Shows That the Vine That Won’t Die Also Releases Harmful Ozone Gas – But Is It a Scourge from God?

Jon Ponder

Left: kudzu up close; kudzu devouring a utility pole; kudzu in Raleigh takes shape Christ statue in Rio de Janero (inset); and kudzu eats a truck
Left: kudzu up close; kudzu devouring a utility pole; kudzu in Raleigh takes shape Christ statue in Rio de Janero (inset); and kudzu eats a truck
Kudzu is the vine that ate the South — or rather is eating the South, at the rate of 125,000 acres of fields, suburban backyards and city alleys per year. It is also one of the very few things Southerners of all stripes can agree on. Whether smart or slow, liberal or conservative; black, white or other; rich or poor; young or old; 15 generations in or new Yankee transplant — everyone agrees that kudzu is a scourge.

And while research shows that the nearly impossible to kill vine has medicinal properties — it is being tested for efficacy in treating migraine headaches, vertigo, cancer prevention, various allergies, gastrointestinal upsets and even potentially helping alcohol abuse — a new report suggests that kudzu emits a toxic gas:

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