Kudzu

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/kudzu

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Pueraria montana var. lobata
2. What is the ecological impact?Smothers native vegetation, reduces biodiversity, and alters habitat structure
3. What is kudzu and why does it grow so fast?Kudzu is a vine that can grow up to a foot a day. It climbs, coils, and trails, covering plants quickly.
4. Why is kudzu called "the vine that ate the South"?It spreads so fast it covers everything, blocking sunlight and pushing out native plants in the southeastern U.S.

Deciduous Perennial: A plant that lives for many years and sheds its leaves annually.
Invasive Species: A non-native organism that spreads aggressively and causes ecological or economic harm.
Nitrogen Fixation: The process by which atmospheric nitrogen is converted into ammonia or related nitrogenous compounds.
Monoculture: An ecosystem dominated by a single species, often to the exclusion of others.