Officials share images of battle with aggressive growth taking over US region: 'Sad to see that much'

Kudzu is one of the most invasive plant species around and is sometimes called "the vine that ate the South," as it seemingly swallows up everything around it. 

Indiana decided to tackle a large patch of kudzu in a difficult-to-access portion of Charlestown State Park and shared how they did it in a Facebook post. 

Indiana DNR Division of Forestry shared a photo of the kudzu's destruction and wrote it was "excited to see that this fall's drone-applied herbicide treatment of a kudzu infestation … was very successful. It might not look pretty right now, but dedicated efforts to remove this invasive vine will allow a diversity our native plants to flourish here again in the future."

Comments on the post ranged from suggestions for other plants to be eradicated to gratitude that someone was taking on the kudzu. 

"Sad to see that much kudzu in Indiana. I sincerely hope you can control/manage it," one person wrote. 

Another Facebook user commented, "Appreciate you sharing the impact of dedicated efforts to remove invasive species."

Kudzu originated in Southeast China and Japan and first arrived in the U.S. in 1876 as an ornamental plant. Then, from the 1930s to the 1950s, the Soil Conservation Service touted the plant as a tool to control soil erosion, which led to the abundance of kudzu now in the southern U.S.

However, like most invasive plants, kudzu is deadly to the environment around it, as it spreads incredibly quickly, growing at a rate of roughly one foot per day. Mature vines can reach 100 feet in length, allowing kudzu to swallow up native plants, trees, poles, and even abandoned structures. 

This growth leads to the smothering of native plant species, which can cause wildlife to leave a region due to fewer available food sources and destroys biodiversity. 

Additionally, invasive plants can alter soil chemistry, preventing nutrients needed by native species from cycling, and can ward off pollinators that prefer native plants, harming human food supplies. 

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Controlling the spread of kudzu and other invasive plant species is vital, as is ensuring you aren't accidentally planting invasive species in your garden that will quickly take over.

Hopefully, the spot spraying done in this area helps eradicate the kudzu. 

As one Facebook user said, "Good luck with it. …  A little spot spraying will go a long ways."

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