All plants /Vine /Kudzu
Kudzu
Pueraria montana, legume family. Common in East Texas.
At a glance
- What
- Grape-scented purple flowers; young leaves; starchy root
- How
- Flowers into jelly and tea; young leaves cooked
- When
- Late summer flowers
- Where
- Smothering East Texas roadsides and woods edges
- Value
- The flowers are fragrant and edible
Caution: A safe and famously invasive plant to harvest freely; just gather away from roadside spray. Never eat a wild plant on this guide's word alone. Confirm identity against several sources and learn the look-alikes first.
Identification
The vine that ate the South, blanketing everything it climbs. In late summer it hangs clusters of purple flowers that smell of grape soda.
Uses
The flowers make a startling purple jelly and a fragrant tea; young leaves cook like any green, and the root is a traditional starch.
Photo: M108t, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Forages well with
Forage safely. Never eat a wild plant on this site's word alone. Confirm identity with several sources, learn the look-alikes, and when in doubt, leave it in the ground.