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But there is so much of this vine that we don’t know about. For one, kudzu grows so fast and so abundantly in the Southeastern United States that you’d think it’s a native of this land. Actually, the plant had to cross many oceans before it got to where it is now.
History
Kudzu came to the United States by boat.
In 1876, several countries were invited to join the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The purpose of the exhibit was to celebrate the 100th birthday of the U.S. As a special guest, the Japanese government constructed a beautiful garden which they populated with plants native to their country. Kudzu, with its large leaves and sweet-smelling blooms, held center stage among these plants and managed to attract the attention of many. American gardeners were caught by the plant’s amazing appearance that they began to adapt the plant for ornamental purposes.
In the 1920s, Florida nursery operators, Charles and Lillie Please discovered that animals would eat the plant and thus promoted its use for forage. A decade after, during the Great Depression, the Soil Conservation Service promoted kudzu for erosion control. This led many young men and farmers to cultivate the plant in plots in order to save the soil. Pretty soon, the vine grew to such abundance that in 1953, the US government stopped advocating its use and even declared it to be a weed in 1972.
Today, because of kudzu’s long history of ups and downs, it is known by several names, which for all intents and purposes bear some semblance of the plant’s characteristics. The common names for kudzu include mile-a-minute vine, foot-a-night vine, and the vine that ate the South.
Health Benefits
The huge root of the kudzu climbing plant can grow up to the size of a human. It has been used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine where it is known as ge-gen. Shen Nong, an ancient herbal text circa A.D. 100, was the first written text that mentioned kudzu as a medicine. Chinese herbalists used the root of the plant to treat wei (“superficial”) syndrome, a disease that manifests just under the surface, i.e., mild but with fever. It was also used for thirst, headache, and stiff neck with pain due to high blood pressure.
A drink made from pounded kudzu root was recommended for allergies, migraine headaches, and diarrhea. Throughout history, the plant has also been used to relieve drunkenness and correct alcoholism.
The kudzu root has high concentrations of isoflavones, such as daidzein, and isoflavone glycosides, such as daidzin and puerarin. In 1993, a widely publicized animal study showed that the isoflavones and isoflavone glycosides in kudzu can inhibit the desire for alcohol. The scientists concluded that the plant could present a potential cure for alcoholism. However, human studies are still under way and more proof is needed to support this claim.
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