What does the word "kudzu" mean? can it be used as a fuel like ethenol, to burn in a car?

science. can kudzu be created into ethenol, to be burned as fuel in a vehicle?

What does the word "kudzu" mean? can it be used as a fuel like ethenol, to burn in a car?
LMAO


Sorry, I grew up in Atlanta.


Kudzu....everywhere.


Kudzu is so prominent that they even named the new baby gorilla at Zoo Atlanta Kudzu.


And I believe that the motto of the Atlanta Journal Constitution newspaper is , "Covering the South like Kudzu!"





Kudzu was originally brought to the Southeast to help prevent land erosion.


Especially in Georgia where that Georgia red clay washes right away.


But it very quickly got out of hand.


The stuff is 1000 times worse than Ivy.


It grows EVERYWHERE.


It's impossible to kill.


And it grows QUICKLY....VERY quickly.


It actually grows OVER NIGHT.





Over the many, many years, there have been thousands of stories about the "uses" of Kudzu.


All jokes.


I do believe that there is NO REAL useful purpose of Kudzu.


It's only a vine with no redeeming qualities.....but it DOES smell good when it blooms.


I guess if someone could find a useful purpose for Ivy vine, the Kudzu vine would be the best bet since it does grow so fast.





I am wondering if some Southerner with a warped sense of humor is trying to pull one over on you.


It is a pastime...like telling Yankees that Grits grow on Grit Trees.





But thank you for reminding me of Kudzu.


It made me smile.
Reply:it's a parasitic plant. if it has sugar it can ferment, but i wouldn't try it
Reply:The name comes from Japanese kuzu (葛), meaning vine.
Reply:Kudzu is a vine now common to the southern United States, and tends to grow rapidly. It is known to overtake large areas in a short time period if not controlled. As for using it for an alternate fuel (ie, E85 - corn based ethanol), I don't know that it can be converted as such. However, given its growth potential and abundance, if it can be used, someone will find out.
Reply:Kudzu is a plant that grows wild in the southern regions of the US. I grew up with kudzu growing everywhere on the highways and in old neglected areas of the city. It is a plant that grows wild now but was imported from Japan and China (kudzu means vine) as decorative plant to prevent ground erosion. It is pretty but I am not sure that is would be useful for the production of ethenol. Typically you need some type of vegetation that produces an oil.. such as soybean or corn.. these can be made into a fuel.. not sure if kudzu produces enough oil.. but it is pretty to look at
Reply:Kudzu is a plant found in the SE U.S. once you have it you can't get rid of it..as far as using it for fuel, I havn't heard that..
Reply:Kudzu in a new ecosystem began to choke out other vegetation. Growing up in Alabama, I often saw entire groves of trees choked out by kudzu.





The South is home to at least three species of poisonous snakes, and Southerners prefer not to step into tangles of vines if they can help it. Even so, some folks have found uses for kudzu. I once knew a woman who made kudzu blossom wine.
Reply:Kudzu is a Japanese plant used to cover bare spots on the ground. It was released here in the US and it has taken over a lot of areas in the Southern US. It doesn't stand up to the freezing temperatures of winter well.


Ethanol is mostly made by fermenting organic material. Corn works well for this, but lots of things can be fermented to make ethanol. Apples, barley, etc. I suppose someone could invent a means to ferment kudzu to ethanol but kudzu would have to be rich in starches for this to work well. I don't see the advantage in doing it.