Kudzu, a highly destructive plant first imported into the US from Asia, has become known as The vine that ate the south. During the Great Depression, farmers were paid to plant it as it was seen as a good way to combat soil erosion. However, Kudzu can grow over 30 cm a day and, as such, today it represents a huge problem for the southern states, even entering the lexicon as a synonym for ‘something that comes in and rapidly takes over everything’.