I saw in the Dayton Daily News last week that there are Kudzu vines in seven of our Ohio counties along the Ohio river. It did not say how saturated the counties were with it and/or if there are any programs trying to eradicate it. Have any of you seen it in your areas?
Karin ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
About the Kudzu vine ...
http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/ohio/science/art7077.html
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=PUMOL
Karin-- I wasn't quite sure what it looks like so I googled. Sure enough it's listed in Hamilton County--so I'll have to look around tomorrow for it.
When we were building our home, my son and his friends would swing from some vines that are on the trees in the forest. I don't know if these are Kudzu or not but I will have to check it out now that you mentioned that they exist in Southern Ohio.
I had thought to try some in a pot a few years back.
Then I drove thru 3 miles of it down South......................................
Ric
Kudzu is NOT a vine you want anywhere near you ... It is worse than poison Ivy for invasive, and once you get it .. its impossible to kill it....Us southerners Despise that stuff....It eventually kills trees by choking them out ..
I know that it is an awful vine but........ it does have some good qualities believe it or not. It is used to help alcoholics kick the habit and prevent cirrhosis. It is also used for other medicinal uses.
http://www.naturalhealthweb.com/articles/nations-weissman2.html
Nevertheless it is very invasive and has snuffed out other native plants.
I wonder if it grows only at certain altitudes. Off our hill about a mile away, it has taken over a valley but has not seemed to spread up past a certain point?
It may just be growing slower there.
I think a hard freeze will kill it off.
Wether that's just the vine or the roots..............lol
I've not seen it here. I'll have to look around.
Roc
I'm in Indiana (30 miles north of Louisville) Last spring the extension office identified an unknown vine that had popped up as being kudzu.
In the fall, they sent a representative by. There was no sign of it then (and I had also found out the extension office was wrong), but I think there was interest in helping me eradicate it from my property, maybe along with the few other alleged sitings in the county.
Kudzu is something I'd really hate to see get established here, as I'm already battling poison ivy, oak, honeysuckle vine and bush, trumpet vine, and multiflora roses.
Then there are weeds.
Sue
Sue,
Recently we adopted a more Zen method of dealing w/ weeds.
We've found ourselves w/ much more time to spend on quality gardening. :-)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnranimals/174048751/
Ric
Adams county has it . I worked with a teacher from Manchester--she's not originally from there, and she and hubby who was an Ag major were walking in the woods she wanted to dig some up to put around their new house. She said he "flipped out"
So, yes, it's here, it just hasn't made it here as far as I know, but, then who could tell with the darned wild roses, honeysuckle and O'Sage Orange, Locust and Cedar Trees covering the hillsides.
Yikes!! I guess Im a weirdo ..
I LOVE wild roses and Honeysuckle and Cedar is a staple part of my life...Am I gonna be in Twubble when I get up there??
Dusty
Don't worry Dusty, I like the Locust & osage orange.... will Melissa talk to us anymore? LOL
There's wild roses, honeysuckle and O'Sage Orange, Locust and Cedar Trees and there's wild roses, honeysuckle and O'Sage Orange, Locust and Cedar Trees.
Cultivated ones are good and have their place.
Well OK I don't think there's a O'Sage cultivar........
Mellisa and Sue are talking about the escaped or wrongly introduced ones. Plus they are working on a large scale.
In a yard w/ caution..........different battle.
The only battle we have now is w/ Poison Ivy, Rose of Sharon and Creeping Buttercup (my fault)
tabasco has a marvelous Honeysuckle.
We have some great wild species roses and Trumpet Cultivars.
You should be OK Dusty. lol
Ric
argh..I have that #$^%* buttercup.. and rose of sharon.. and we have a yellow poplar in our yard.. I love the form of the tree but I hate the suckers!!!
I dunno Southern O... we may be in deeeep Kim Chee here...ROFLLLL
Ric Darlin.. I'm sure I'll be okay....just wait till you see that yard next month.. I'm told its bare nekkid!!
Soooo..... whatever gets there will be at my own doing...and I reckon I'll only have me to blame..LOL
I have ONE little hummingbird vine (Trumpet Vine?) that is still alive....ONE little Honeysuckle the possums dug up last week I've been trying to resucitate in a big pot with lots of water ( aint goin good)....
'spose I outta leave 'em here???
Dusty
This message was edited Jul 6, 2006 3:31 PM
Yes, I'm talking about the multiflora roses, they aren't "that" pretty and they're a pain to get rid of. ONE O'sage Orange would be fine, but not as many as we have... same with the black locust, honey locust, they just pop up EVERYWHERE. That and that tree that looks like it has red palm leaves on it... and here it's a constant battle in the mowed trails they have through the woods with the blackberries. They just pop up everywhere too.
I used to love the smell of honeysuckle... can't stand it now vine or bush. I have NEVER managed to get rid of the trumpet vine...
I'll still talk to you.... even if you do like some of my worst enemies. :-)
LOL!
I feel your pain Melissa.
I've worked clearing acreage before. It's a constant battle.
Most people I know that have had any success start small, near the house, and work out.
That takes years though.
I'm thinking bush hog and chain saw followed by a controlled burn may help at your place ;)
Dusty I'll start a trumpet I think you may want.
I bought it as Apricot. I think it's actually Campsis radicans 'Flava' .
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/78853/index.html
Though ours is actually an Apricot not a yellow.
We also have a chalky red that's quite nice but a little more agressive.
I'd recommend island planting for it.
Ric
henry,
There are several named, cloned selections of Osage Orange(no apostrophe in Osage, but you do put one in "bois d'arc", another name for Maclura pomifera, commonly mangled to 'bodock/bodark') available in the nursery industry - including a number of (mostly) thornless male selections, and our buddy Guy Sternberg from over at the Trees & Shrubs forum has one female selection - Cannonball - that produces fruits about 3-4 times larger than normal.
You mean no one wants any of my Rose of Sharon seedlings? They're free to a good home...
;^)
Back to Kudzu for a moment....The farmers who raise soybeans are worried about the soybean rust that winters over on ....Kudzu. This detested vine is even more detested now as a harboring agent of rust in this country.
I do Winging!!!! Ill take a couple for sure..Gonna use them puppys for a wall!!!!
Dusty