Kudzu (Pueraria lobata)

Kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata) is a notoriously fast-growing climbing vine, capable of expanding up to a foot per day in ideal summer conditions. Originally introduced for erosion control, this invasive species smothers native vegetation, trees, and even structures under a dense blanket of leaves, earning it the nickname "the vine that ate the South." Its relentless growth, facilitated by extensive rooting nodes and rapid photosynthesis, makes it extremely difficult to control, posing a significant ecological threat across the southeastern United States.