History Main / AlienKudzu

* Music/{{Genesis}} released a song called "The Return of the Giant Hogweed", about the said invasive plant which has had occasional outbreaks all over Great Britain. Of note is that the history of the plant in Britain, as narrated in the song, is entirely true -- except for the part where they turn into Triffids and begin ''plotting'' their next invasion.

* The Flood in ''Franchise/{{Halo}}''. It's a fungi-like parasite that [[PuppeteerParasite takes over the bodies of sentient species]] and can convert an entire ecosystem into Flood mass; when it takes over the Covenant capital of High Charity, the entire thing becomes covered in Flood kudzu. It has wiped out entire species, and forced the [[{{Precursors}} Forerunners]] to build the titular [[WeaponOfMassDestruction Halo Rings]], and wipe out all life in the galaxy to start anew.

* The Croach in the ''Literature/CodexAlera'' is basically an {{expy}} of the [[VideoGame/StarCraft Zerg Creep]], but it resembles a pale green wax rather than a giant spleen. It quickly spreads to cover all territory that [[HordeOfAlienLocusts the Vord]] overrun, coating the ground, trees and buildings alike in a thick layer of green, glossy wax. Air pockets within the surface recreate the ideal Vord atmosphere, and any natural life that gets caught in the Croach is gradually broken down into nutrients for the Vord creatures to sustain their biomass. There are specialized creatures that spread it, much like the red plants in ''Literature/TheWarOfTheWorlds''.

* The ''ComicBook/DoctorWhoTitan'' comics described a species known as The Planting, which infests a planet and eventually [[UpToEleven replaces it's entire biopshere]].

Compare ExplosiveBreeder and FantasticVermin, which are similar concepts applied to animals, and BotanicalAbomination. Named after the same plant as KudzuPlot, but [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant the two tropes are unrelated]]. It's also [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant not to be confused with]] the NewspaperComic of the same name.

* In Creator/HarryTurtledove's ''Literature/{{Worldwar}}'' series, after humanity and the Race achieve an uneasy peace, the Race starts importing flora and fauna from their homeworld, causing ecological damage to the regions of Earth they occupy. In the final book, some white mice get (accidentally) released on the Race's homeworld and start proliferating; the Race throws a fit, [[MoralMyopia completely ignoring the hypocrisy]].

* In ''[[Literature/TalesOfTheMagicLand Urfin Jus and His Wooden Soldiers]]'', the mysterious plant discovered by Urfin Jus is definitely an example. It's thorny and nasty, spreads explosively, can take root basically anywhere, and can survive and grow even when chopped to tiny pieces. Only after Urfin uproots every single stalk, laying them out on a metal plate and leaving them to dry out in the sun, do the plants finally turn to dust... at which point it turns out that the plant's will to live is so powerful the dust itself [[AnimatingArtifact animates anything it's sprinkled upon]], which Urfin makes great use of in his plan to take over the Magic Land. [[spoiler:Later on in the series, his house gets infested by the same plants a second time... but having since realized that BeingEvilSucks, he simply burns them all to ashes instead of creating more of the magic powder.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'': After the climactic events of season 2, [[spoiler: dense forests of spirit vines have taken over sections of Republic City.]] Korea’s inability to permanently remove them becomes a source of tension that leads to her [[ZeroPercentApprovalRating seven percent approval rating]] at the beginning of season 3.

[[quoteright:350:[[Film/WarOfTheWorlds https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/WOTW_redweeds_5314.jpg]]]]

* In the two part Season 4 premiere of ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', Equestria is being taken over by Plunder Vines, which grew from seeds planted by Discord shortly before the Royal Sisters sealed him away, but were kept in check by the Tree of Harmony's reserve power, which is running out.

** The Orks are a [[PlantAliens fungoid hybrid lifeform]] that provides a weird variant of this. Each Ork constantly sheds spores (particularly after death) that usually grow into normal mushrooms, but in certain conditions will sprout first [[ArmlessBiped squigs]], then [[OurGoblinsAreDifferent snotlings, gretchin]], and finally more Orks. Thus each Ork is a one-asexual-alien ecosystem, and any planet that has successfully repelled an Ork invasion will probably still be plagued by recurring tribes of Orks for generations to come. The Department Munitorium, ever pragmatic, consider these worlds to be highly valuable as recruiting grounds, as guardsmen recruited from these worlds have a tendency to be disciplined, methodical, and "bloodied" in combat against feral Ork tribes.
** [[HordeOfAlienLocusts Tyranids]] are a more straightforward example. In the initial stages of an assault a hive fleet will choke a world's atmosphere with spores that send the native flora into overdrive, sprouting more spore chimneys on the ground to accelerate the hothouse process. In the planet's last days digestion pools will form, open-air stomachs that Tyranid organisms dive into to deposit consumed bio-matter, which is then piped up via capillary towers to the hive ships in orbit. And at the end all of this is consumed and recycled, [[PlanetEater leaving nothing but a dead world behind]].

* The [[MinovskyParticle eponymous substance]] in the ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberium'' series serves to consolidate minerals for more efficient harvesting, however the substance is highly toxic and causes either death or mutation to all carbon based life form afflicted by it, with almost no way to stop its spread. It was originally sent to earth by Scrin in the intent of [[PlanetLooters looting the planet of its minerals after the Tiberium had killed the planet's original life]], but GDI and Nod proved to be much tougher than they could've anticipated.

* ''VideoGame/DukeNukem3D'' had a non-interactive, non-controversial, and very olive-green form of this from Episode 2 onward. Then Duke Nukem Forever introduced the slappable titty walls.

* The Biomass in ''VideoGame/UFOAftermath'', it's actually an attempt to build a giant psionic brain and can be driven back with special base sized psionic devices.

* Tumbleweeds are an invasive species in the Americas, likely brought over from Russia by accident as part of a batch of imported seeds, and cause massive problems for American agriculture (including, but not limited to, being able to reproduce in huge numbers from a single specimen, leeching nutrients from the soil that other plants need to survive, being covered in thorns that can cause painful injuries to farm animals and humans, and being highly flammable, meaning they spread wildfires and are difficult to remove with machinery). ''WebVideo/CGPGrey'''s [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsWr_JWTZss The Trouble with Tumbleweed]] looks at ssome of the problems they cause.

* ''Series/TheAvengers1960'': In "Man-Eater of Surrey Green", a ManEatingPlant from outer space lands in Middle England and takes several top horticulturists as its prisoners in an effort to germinate and spread across all of the Earth.

* The ''ComicBook/DoctorWhoTitan'' comics described a species known as The Planting, which infests a planet and eventually [[UpToEleven replaces it's entire biopshere]].

* In a segment of the 1982 film ''Film/{{Creepshow}}'' entitled "The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verril", the titular character (played by Creator/StephenKing, who wrote the script) discovers a newly fallen metorite. After he is contaminated with the oozing interior "meteor shit!" while trying to retrieve the object, he starts to sprout a plant-like fungus which quickly spreads to much of his body. The substance also causes him to itch unbearably and even after being warned by the ghost of his father not to take a bath, he finally can no longer resist and sinks into the filthy tub. The next morning we see that the water has accelerated the growth of the fungus/alien kudzu and it now covers Jordy, farmhouse and surrounding land completely. Jordy ends his horrible ordeal with a shotgun. The segment ends with a radio weather forcast calling for extended heavy rains.
* ''Film/InvasionOfTheBodySnatchers'' embodies this trope. That, and [[TheVirus assimilation]].

* in ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxyVol2'' [[spoiler:[[GeniusLoci Ego]] attempts to turn multiple planets into extensions of himself by planting seedlings on them that would later terraform the planet.]]

* In Creator/JosephPayneBrennan's ''[[Literature/TheBordersJustBeyond The House on Stillcroft Street]]'', botanist and CollectorOfTheStrange Millward Frander brings a strange, purplish-green ivy with five-lobed leaves back to his hometown of Amley. However, it turns out the plant is [[ItCanThink sentient]], grows wildly out of control and takes over Millward's house - and him! It acts like a FesteringFungus, turning Millward into a [[Film/{{Creepshow}} Jordy Verrill]]-style PlantPerson/[[OurZombiesAreDifferent zombie]]. Millward's cousin Hugh Corvington ends the threat of the ivy by taking an axe to its roots, preventing it from spreading beyond the Frander house to infest the rest of Amley.
* In ''[[Literature/TalesOfTheMagicLand Urfin Jus and His Wooden Soldiers]]'', the mysterious plant discovered by Urfin Jus is definitely an example. It's thorny and nasty, spreads explosively, can take root basically anywhere, and can survive and grow even when chopped to tiny pieces. Only after Urfin uproots every single stalk, laying them out on a metal plate and leaving them to dry out in the sun, do the plants finally turn to dust... at which point it turns out that the plant's will to live is so powerful the dust itself [[AnimatingArtifact animates anything it's sprinkled upon]], which Urfin makes great use of in his plan to take over the Magic Land. [[spoiler:Later on in the series, his house gets infested by the same plants a second time... but having since realized that BeingEvilSucks, he simply burns them all to ashes instead of creating more of the magic powder.]]

* The creep in ''VideoGame/{{Starcraft}}'', which is probably supposed to represent this (although in-game it really only affects zerg base-building). In this case, the creep is not exactly an alien plant, but rather part of the BizarreAlienBiology that makes up the zerg. It's closer to being ''zerg blood vessels'' than an alien plant.
* The sequel, ''VideoGame/StarcraftII'', slightly alters the way in which creep spreads, making it considerably more invasive. Though the idea was scrapped for balance purposes, creep was even originally supposed to damage non-zerg buildings over time. It remains impossible for either of the other races to build on creep, though, making this trope in full effect.
* Undead Blight in ''VideoGame/WarcraftIII'' acts similar to ''Starcraft''[='=]s creep, though there are differences- blight does not recede when its source is destroyed and can be dispelled by building structures of other races on or near blight.
* The Biomass in ''VideoGame/UFOAftermath'', it's actually an attempt to build a giant psionic brain and can be driven back with special base sized psionic devices.
* The [[MinovskyParticle titular substance]] in the ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberium'' series serves to consolidate minerals for more efficient harvesting, however the substance is highly toxic and causes either death or mutation to all carbon based life form afflicted by it, with almost no way to stop its spread. It was originally sent to earth by Scrin in the intent of [[PlanetLooters looting the planet of its minerals after the Tiberium had killed the planet's original life]], but GDI and Nod proved to be much tougher than they could've anticipated.
* In ''VideoGame/SpaceStation13'' "Space Kudzu" is a plant that spreads rapidly throughout the station and can only be destroyed by fire or suitable cutting implements. Fully grown Kudzu prevents anything from passing through the block that it is on. Not deadly in itself, but it's great at distracting the crew from looking out for assassinations and bombings.
* Xenofungus in ''VideoGame/SidMeiersAlphaCentauri'' has these properties, but doesn't exactly count since it's native to Planet. On the other hand, one could argue that the human's terraforming efforts (particularly with stands of trees) are an inversion (Earth life infesting an alien ecology).

* ''VideoGame/StarControl 2'' mentions "Deep Children", modified Mycon used to terraform. They rapidly grow into the lower part of a planet's crust and provoke tectonic activity, making the planet a FireAndBrimstoneHell comfortable for Mycon but not the original species of the Mycon's preferred targets -- organic-rich water-based worlds.
* The Flood in ''Franchise/{{Halo}}''. It's a fungi-like parasite that [[PuppeteerParasite takes over the bodies of sentient species]] and can convert an entire ecosystem into Flood mass; when it takes over the Covenant capital of High Charity, the entire thing becomes covered in Flood kudzu. It has wiped out entire species, and forced the [[{{Precursors}} Forerunners]] to build the titular [[WeaponOfMassDestruction Halo Rings]], and wipe out all life in the galaxy to start anew.
* Systems can be found in the ''VideoGame/SpaceEmpires'' series that have been infested by some sort of titanic organism.

%%* The body of the many in and around the Rickenbacker levels of ''VideoGame/SystemShock2''.%%ZCE
%%* The enemies of ''VideoGame/{{Aleste}}'' and ''Aleste 2''.%%ZCE -- what about them?
* In ''VideoGame/{{Evolva}}'', the Parasite proves to be able to fill the whole planet with its mooks. Seriously, just compare the huge number of aliens and the number of indigenes you see in each level.
* In ''VideoGame/WarMetal'', the Blight which is just like the vines in ''Literature/TheWarOfTheWorlds'', and it mutates any life forms it touches into Bloodthirsty.

* One of the disasters in ''[=SimPark=]'' is literally kudzu. Another one is Alien Invasion, which acts as an alien kudzu.
* The acid Cephad Zoa in ''VideoGame/WakingMars'' eventually takes over any environment it's planted in, converting the fertile soil to an acid type so nothing else can grow.
* ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiPartnersInTime'', in keeping with the War of the Worlds parody, has the purple alien mushrooms that the Shroobs spread over the Mushroom Kingdom. With their weapons and technology, the Shroobs can actually [[AndIMustScream turn Toads and other Mushroom Kingdom inhabitants into these mushrooms]].
* In ''VideoGame/ZombiesAteMyNeighbors'', the Red Weed found in ''War of the Worlds'' is an occasional enemy, though since it's sessile, it functions more as an expanding obstacle. The Red Weed is the focus of the stage "Where the Red Fern Growls," where it's the ''only'' enemy type and the goal is to rescue the people surrounded by the stuff. [[LogicalWeakness Weed whackers]] utterly destroy the stuff.

* One could only image what it would look like if The Beast from ''Videogame/HomeworldCataclysm'' were to make contact with a planet.

* The ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'' magic mod "Thaumcraft" has a magical kudzu called Taint. Not only is it quick-spreading and hard to kill, it can and will parasitize mobs and aura nodes (magic sources), causing them to turn hostile and spread the Taint.
* The Bloom in ''VideoGame/SeventhDragon'' checks all of these off. Brightly colored, check. Spreads fast, check. Terraforms the planet for invaders, check.

* Inverted in ''Webcomic/{{Freefall}}'', the alien Sam Starfall comes from a planet where intelligent life developed early, so the life forms have had only limited evolution to develop defenses. He is terrified of Terran flora (or fauna) becoming this.
* One arc of ''Webcomic/CarryOn'' has the USA becoming overrun by "kudzucchini" genetically engineered for terraforming Mars. It's eventually destroyed by an army of goats.

* The Doctor Who comics described a species known as The Planting, which infests a planet and eventually [[UpToEleven replaces it's entire biopshere]].

* In Disney's ''WesternAnimation/SleepingBeauty'', Maleficent causes a wall of thorns to spring up instantly around her fortress when the Prince is trying to hack his way in.

* The Wiki/SCPFoundation has [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-506 SCP-506]], an inedible genetically engineered variant of zucchini that grows rapidly in increasingly harsh conditions. As long as there is organic matter it'll germinate.

** Infinity Vine in ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}''. A leafless plant that ''very'' quickly multiplies its mass until it covers everything that got light and air with 10' thick layer (there's not enough light beyond this). Of course, if it's a ship and the extra mass is more than its power source can pull, it's stuck for good. The vine is easily destroyed, but regrows, and is immune to all diseases and poisons. Due to this magical metabolism it vanishes just as fast on planets and instantly dries up in the Flow -- the only reason why the whole Prime Material Plane isn't buried under 10 feet of green ropes.

Compare ExplosiveBreeder and FantasticVermin, which are similar concepts applied to animals, and BotanicalAbomination. Named after the same plant as KudzuPlot, but [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant the two tropes are unrelated]]. It's also [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant not to be confused with]] the NewspaperComic of [[ComicStrip/{{Kudzu}} the same name]].

* In ''Literature/StarshipTroopers'', the alien kudzu is from Earth; on Sanctuary, where there is almost no radiation, there is a [[ArtMajorBiology very slow rate of mutation]], so the native flora and fauna are simply overrun by Earth [[GoalOrientedEvolution "more advanced"]] plants and animals.

* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1942'': Rykorn is a rather problematic quickly growing giant alien plant, it is not only difficult to kill it can grow fast enough to fill the entire Bar-L ranch overnight and within twenty-four hours each stalk's husk births a fully grown Rykornian warrior. Luckily Rykornians themselves are rather small.

* in Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxyVol2 [[spoiler:[[GeniusLoci Ego]] attempts to turn multiple planets into extensions of himself by planting seedlings on them that would later terraform the planet.]]