Kevin Starr
County Extension Director
N.C. Cooperative Extension Service

July 11, 2008

INVASIVE PLANTS

Everyone knows that we have a lot of weedy plants that we’d like to eradicate. But do you know how those plants got here in the first place? After some research on the web, I found out some things I didn’t know.

Let’s start with kudzu. I always thought that the government brought it into the country as an erosion control plant. Indeed, it was promoted and used extensively in the 1930’s and 1940’s for just this purpose. You can’t really argue with the fact that the soil isn’t going anywhere when kudzu gets a hold of it. But it actually first appeared in this country as an ornamental vine at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition in 1876.

It’s initial introduction into the southern U.S. was apparently due in part to its potential to shade porches and other areas when trained properly.

If you want to read a very humorous article on kudzu, do an internet search for “Tifton B. Merritt Kudzu.” You’ll find a column Mr. Merritt wrote for The Athens Observer. The Charlotte Observer ran the column on April 29, 1978 and I still have the clipping in my humor file. Merritt provides a tongue-in-cheek overview of how to grow kudzu. One of his recommendations is to use “heavy-duty, non-detergent motor oil” as a fertilizer. He admits that the kudzu really doesn’t need the oil but that it “…cuts down on friction and lessens the danger of fire when the kudzu really starts to move.”

What about that great favorite known as Johnsongrass? It was brought into this country in the early 1800’s as a potential forage crop for livestock. A man named Johnson planted in a southern river bottom where it flourished and his name became linked with the weed. It has become a terrible problem in agricultural fields and occasionally in gardens.

Multiflora rose is another example of a big boo-boo. It was introduced to the eastern United States in 1866 as rootstock for ornamental roses. In the 1930’s, it was promoted by the government for erosion control as well as living livestock fences. Just like kudzu, it was eventually seen as a lot more negative than positive.

Okay, let’s see if some themes are emerging here. I think it’s fair to say that we humans often have no idea what will result from our actions. We may even think we are doing a good work only to find out later there are some negative consequences. Another theme is that the government has often played a part in disseminating these problem weeds into our country. Hopefully, we’re a little smarter these days.

For information on trying to control invasive weeds, call Cooperative Extension in Lincoln County at 704-736-8452.