Kudzu

Kudzu (), also called Japanese arrowroot or Chinese arrowroot, is a kind of vine from East Asia, and Southeast Asia. The plant is invasive in North America, and some other parts of the world.

The vine grows very rapidly and hurts other plants. The name is comes from the Japanese name . The plant is edible.

 Uses 

 Soil improvement and preservation 
Kudzu is used to stop soil erosion. As a legume, it increases the nitrogen in the soil by a symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria. It has deep roots that pull nutrients up to the surface.

 Animal feed 
Kudzu is often used to feed farm animals.John Everest; James Miller; Donald Ball; Mike Patterson (1999). "Kudzu in Alabama: History, Uses, and Control". Alabama Cooperative Extension System. Archived from the original on 16 June 2012. Retrieved 20 August 2007.

 Basket making 
Kudzu is often used to make baskets.
alt=A basket with a large vine and its tendrils incorporated into the weave|thumb|A basket made out of Kudzu

 Food 
Kudzu roots are ground up to make a powder called Kudzu powder. Kudzu powder is used in many asian foods.
alt=a translucent jelly with black soybeans visible inside|thumb|Kuzumochi, a Japanese pudding made from Kudzu

 References 

 This article was based in part on content from public domain web pages from the United States National Park Service and the United States Bureau of Land Management

 Other websites 





Category:Japanese food
Category:Articles containing Japanese-language text