Black jetbead escapes cultivation and invades forests and forms a thick shrub layer causing native plants to be displaced. Due to its rapid growth and weedy tendencies it should not be planted in the landscape, consider native alternatives listed in the left column. Whether planted in sun or heavy shade, jetbead will prosper, making it a potential choice for shady sites.
Use it as a specimen or border plant. Showy white flowers, crisp green foliage, and black fruit clusters make this shrub distinct throughout the growing season. This shrub does reseed and can be a problem in natural areas if not controlled.
Black jetbead is a deciduous shrub that can grow up to 5 feet tall. It forms a dense shrub layer that shades out native species and restricts the establishment of tree seedlings. Black jetbead is one of our Data Gap Species Priorities for 2024.
Facts Black jetbead is a member of the rose family, native to Japan. It is the only species in the genus Rhodotypos in New England, where it is considered introduced; in parts of North America, this species can be invasive. This is a scruffy but adaptable deciduous shrub, hardy to zone 4 and growing up to 6 feet (2 m) tall.
White, four. The fruit is a cluster of 1-4 shiny black drupes 5-8 mm diameter. It does not have a widely used English name, most commonly being known by its genus name rhodotypos, also occasionally as jetbead[1] or jet.
Black jetbead (Rhodotypos scandens) Synonyms: Rhodotypos tetrapetalus Common Names: Jetbead Description: Although jetbead is a member of Rosaceae, its leaves are opposite, rather than alternate. Habit: Open, arching shrub ranging in height from 1-2 m (3-6 ft) in height and 1.2-2.7 m (4-9 ft) in width. Description: Black jetbead is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub in the rose family (Rosaceae), maturing to a height of 5 feet and width of 7 feet.
The bright green leaves are opposite, simple and doubly serrate with a rough leaf surface 2 to 4 inches long and 1 to 2 inches wide. White flowers with four. Black jetbead (Rhodotypos scandens) is an invasive plant in the rose family that is highly toxic.
Black jetbead is native to Asia and was introduced to the United States as an ornamental. It can be found in forests and along roadsides. Rhodotypos scandens, Black Jetbead Black Jetbead is a shrub that was used for, you guessed it, landscaping purposes in the 1800s and ear.
Black Jetbead Rhodotypos scandens Rosaceae (Rose Family) mature shrubs along south wall of Carrington Hall, MSU campus foliage and fruit Location on campus: on south side of Carrington Hall Rhodotypos scandens: Black Jetbead unique in Rose family for having opposite leaves; leaves also deciduous, simple, ovate withdoubly-serrated margins and pointed tips; light, bright green above and paler.