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Is Kudzu illegal in Indiana?
Sources (5)
- 312 IAC 18-3-25 (LII) – Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute
- Indiana DNR — Terrestrial invasive plants – State of Indiana (IN.gov)
- Indiana DNR Terrestrial Plant Rule brochure (PDF) – State of Indiana (IN.gov)
- 312 IAC 18 (official Indiana Administrative Code) — 18-3-25 terrestrial plant rule; 18-3-13 multiflora rose and Lythrum; 18-3-16 kudzu
- Indiana Register, LSA Document #18-316(F) — final rule adding 312 IAC 18-3-25 (filed March 18, 2019; effective 30 days after filing) – Indiana Administrative Code / Indiana Register (Legislative Services Agency)
Also called: Pueraria montana. Last checked against official sources: 2026-10-15.
Federal noxious weed list (7 CFR 360.200): Kudzu is not listed.
What Indiana's official list says
| List / legal category | Listed as | List note | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kudzu rule (312 IAC 18-3-16(b), (f)) — no selling, distributing, offering for sale or distribution, giving away, bartering, exchanging or planting; an owner known to have kudzu must take efforts to eliminate it | Pueraria lobata | kudzu (the rule uses the name Pueraria lobata) | Yes — listed as prohibited |
Effective dates
- The rule entry gives no separate date. 312 IAC 18-3-16 was first filed April 1, 2004 (27 IR 2471) and most recently readopted (filed March 25, 2025) (history note, official Indiana Administrative Code).
Already have it in your yard?
Most state invasive-plant laws, including the list wording above, target selling, distributing, propagating or planting. They generally do not order you to remove a plant already in your yard, but some noxious-weed laws do require control. Read the linked law or ask your county Extension office. Indiana's kudzu rule says no one may sell, distribute, offer for sale or distribution, give away, barter, exchange or plant any life stage or reproductive material of kudzu (312 IAC 18-3-16(b)). Unlike most plant rules, it does reach plants already growing: any property owner known to have kudzu on the property must take efforts to eliminate it in a manner consistent with federal and state law, and the DNR division may enter a property to verify kudzu and monitor the site (312 IAC 18-3-16(c), (e), (f)). Kudzu is not on Indiana's separate 44-plant Terrestrial Plant Rule list (312 IAC 18-3-25).
Native alternatives for Indiana
- Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)
- Trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans)
- Purple passionflower (Passiflora incarnata)
- Virgin's bower (Clematis virginiana)
Each is recorded as native to Indiana in the USDA NRCS PLANTS Database state distribution (retrieved 2026-10-14). Check size, sun and soil fit for your site with your local Extension office.
Kudzu in other states
Connecticut Florida Illinois Kansas Kentucky Massachusetts Mississippi Missouri New Hampshire New York Ohio Oregon Pennsylvania Texas Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin
See every plant on Indiana's invasive & noxious plant lists, or check any plant.
Not legal advice. PlantLegit summarizes official lists and links the source. Laws change, local (county/city) rules may add restrictions, and the official text controls. "What it means" is our plain-English label; read the exact list wording. Confirm with the agency before buying, selling or removing plants. Full disclaimer.