Not entirely OT as kudzu turns out to be somewhat edible and would be in an emergency. Anyway, I knew I had seen it in herbal caps and now know that it's used for fever as below, if it copies. Just goes to show you don't know what you can eat until you find out...

< Folk Medicine Chinese reportedly use the plants as a diaphoretic and febrifuge, the root decoction for colds, dysentery and fever. The root starch is official in the Japanese pharmacopoeia. Shoots are used as a lactagogue. >>

-- Mara (MaraWayne@aol.com), December 09, 1999

Answers

Hmm, didn't copy the part about food...

<>

-- Mara (MaraWayne@aol.com), December 09, 1999.

Bummer. Anyway, it can be used to make a flour...

-- Mara (MaraWayne@aol.com), December 09, 1999.

Mara, I don't have the reference but I know a couple of years ago there was a great deal of interest in research that showed kudzu was efficacious when used for alcoholism. As I recall, there's an entire web site devoted to the uses of and recipes for kudzu.

For those unfamiliar, the kudzu vine was imported from Japan (in the thirties or forties?) for use in controlling erosion. Having no natural enemies here, kudzu settled in very happily and is gradually burying the south--literally, an abandoned building can be completely covered in a few weeks. It can grow two feet per day.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), December 10, 1999.

I've been all for developing 'ice plant' cuisine on the left coast {our version of kudzu- exotic pest plant}. Anyone one know about the edibility of Loosestrife for those in the midwest?

-- flora (***@__._), December 10, 1999.

I've heard that it makes an excellent animal feed, and a pretty decent potherb too. I'd like to find some seeds (or cuttings or crowns) but can't find it listed anywhere.

-- Ron Schwarz (rs@clubvb.com.delete.this), December 12, 1999.