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Kudzu - the monster vine that has been the scourge of the south - has crept into Ontario.
"It's almost like something out of horror movie. In some parts of the States it's a huge problem," says Rachel Gagnon, co-coordinator of the Ontario Invasive Plant Council.
Kudzu is a leafy, creeping vine that can grow up to 30 centimetres in a day. It has long been notorious in the southern U.S. where it can blanket large areas, smothering trees and even bringing down power lines with its weight.
Until now, kudzu has never crept farther north than the Ohio Valley, but this summer a small patch was spotted on private property on the north shore of Lake Erie near Leamington.
Gagnon said the kudzu vine has seeds but normally spreads through its root system, spinning off as many as 30 vines from each root ball.
"The leaves are big and they can girdle a tree, cutting off all the light," Gagnon said.
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Kudzu likes open sunny areas such as farm fields and can also carry a rust disease that can spread to soybeans, one of this region's - and Ontario's - leading crops.
Gagnon said it's still a mystery how the kudzu jumped Lake Erie.
"It's possible that some fragments floated over but it could have been planted because it's not a regulated plant."
There is speculation that kudzu is creeping north because of global warming. But Gagnon said its unlikely to spread as fast as other invasive species such as purple loosestrife because kudzu roots usually don't survive a cold winter.
Gagnon said various control measures such as herbicide or simply digging it up are now being considered.
Kudzu, isn't native to North America. It was brought into the U.S. from eastern Asia in 1876 and was promoted as a forage crop and for erosion control.