real jungle

Rendalia Motorway, Talladega, Ala.

Kudzu was apparently introduced as an ornamental to shade southern porches in the late 1800s. In the early 20th century, the US government promoted its use to cure Dust Bowl erosion and provide cattle fodder, paying farmers to plant it and giving away some 85 million seedlings. Now it is considered invasive. Kudzu is very difficult to contain. What you see aboveground is almost matched by the root system underneath. It is typically confined to open roadsides, however, rarely killing back more than the outer trees of a forest.
   It certainly has taken over the road to Jan's house in Alabama recently. There is so much more of it than there was even last year. But then, it has been rather toasty on the planet this year.