By Jeffery L. Moore
Kudzu is an invasive vine and is notorious for its rapid growth, a foot a day. Kudzu is also native to East Asia and is related to the regions of China, Japan, and Korea. Kudzu was first introduced to the United States in 1876 at the official World’s Fair held at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. However, at this time, Kudzu was promoted as an ornamental vine for its sweet-smelling flowers and as an ornamental shading plant during the 1930s and 1950s.