Kudzu Crazy

In 1876, kudzu was first brought to the United States, where it was displayed in the Japanese pavilion at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition. It made another another appearance at the New Orleans Exposition in 1883. From then until the early 1900's, it was planted as a decorative plant that produced shade. Some kudzu owners reported that the plant "took root with a vengeance, grew over the bushes, and climbed the pines, smothering them with a mass of vegetation which bent them to the ground and became an awful tangled nuisance." But the word never got out, and people all over the South had been planting it as a quick growing vine or ground cover. From about 1910 to the mid-30's, it was grown to feed

livestock, both in the field and harvested and dried. The hay-day for kudzu, however, came from the 30's to the 50's, when much of the soil in the South had been over-planted and stripped of nutrients. Kudzu would still grow and seemed to be the answer to the problem. By the mid-forties, the plant covered much of the South with Georgia alone boasting 480, 000 acres by 1948. However, by the mid-50's, Southerners began to see another side of kudzu. It seemed to turn on it's owners and become an enemy. It became so prolific it was called "a national

disaster," and would not be stopped, causing a panic. It not only caused problems for farmers and land owners, but also the timber industry. Utility companies even reported the vine pulling down lines and poles. Highway and railroad crews had to battle the plant, which has been known to weaken bridges.

Since those earlier days of kudzu, some have realized the plant is likely here to stay in some form, despite efforts against it. There have, therefore, been efforts to find some positive use of it. Besides the ones already tried, there have been crafts woven with the vine, medicinal uses, and cooking.  It can be powdered and used as a thickening, cooked as noodles, or made into jelly (see below). There are kudzu recipes for soups, sauces main dishes, side dishes, desserts, and beverages. For more on this, try a computer search or look for books.

Kudzu Jelly

4 cups kudzu blossoms - flowers only
4 cups boiling water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 package powdered pectin
5 cups sugar
Pour boiling water over kudzu flowers, cover, and let set in refrigerator for about 6 hours. Stain and save the liquid. Add lemon juice and bring to a full boil, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar (add 1/2 teaspoon margarine to reduce foaming if desired). Return to a rolling boil, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Pour immediately into hot sterile jars, filling 1/4 inch from the top. Wipe jar rims, cover with lids, and screw on rings. Process in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes. Remove and let cool.

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