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Rhodotypos scandens

Previously known as:

  • Corchorus scandens
  • Kerria tetrapetala
  • Rhodotypos kerrioides
  • Rhodotypos tetrapetalus
Phonetic Spelling
roh-doh-TY-pos SKAN-dens
This plant has high severity poison characteristics.
See below
Description

Black jetbed is a deciduous ornamental shrub in the Rosaceae (rose) family that was introduced to the United States from eastern Asia in 1866. The name comes from the Greek word rhodon which means rose and typos meaning type, the species name scandens means to climb.  The form is loosely multi-branched and mounded to somewhat arching but it can appear unkept and ragged in the landscape and can quickly reach a height of up to 6 feet tall.  It grows from full sun to partial shade in a wide variety of soil types including clay as long as they are well-drained.  

Four petaled showy white flowers appear in late spring to early summer and are followed by shiny black fruits that appear in groups of four in the fall and last throughout the winter months.  

It is drought and pollution tolerant, adaptable to urban and shade conditions, and is very cold hardy.   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.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:  No serious insect or disease problems.  This plant is an aggressive grower and is invasive in some areas of the eastern United States. This species is classified as invasive by the NC Invasive Plant Council.

 

 

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#showy flowers#deciduous#poisonous#white flowers#high maintenance#showy fruits#aggressive#black fruits#flowers late spring#flowers early summer#urban conditions tolerant#clay soils tolerant#weed
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#showy flowers#deciduous#poisonous#white flowers#high maintenance#showy fruits#aggressive#black fruits#flowers late spring#flowers early summer#urban conditions tolerant#clay soils tolerant#weed
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Rhodotypos
    Species:
    scandens
    Family:
    Rosaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Woody
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    North-Central and Southeast China, Japan, Korea, and Manchuria
    Distribution:
    Native to China North-Central, China Southeast, Japan, Korea, and Manchuria: Introduced: United States--AL, CT, DE, DC, GA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MI, MS, MO, NE, NH, NJ, NY, NC, OH, PA, SC, TN, VT, VA, WV, and WI; Uzbekistan
    Dimensions:
    Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 4 ft. 0 in. - 9 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Perennial
    Poisonous
    Shrub
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Habit/Form:
    Arching
    Mounding
    Multi-stemmed
    Growth Rate:
    Rapid
    Maintenance:
    High
    Texture:
    Medium
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
    Soil Texture:
    Clay
    High Organic Matter
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Shallow Rocky
    Soil pH:
    Acid (<6.0)
    Alkaline (>8.0)
    Neutral (6.0-8.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Available Space To Plant:
    3 feet-6 feet
    6-feet-12 feet
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Black
    Red/Burgundy
    Fruit Value To Gardener:
    Showy
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Fall
    Winter
    Fruit Type:
    Drupe
    Fruit Length:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Width:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Description:
    The fruits are shiny red turning black bead-like 0.3-inch drupe in clusters of 3 to 4 with 4 spreading sepals below. They appear in October and last throughout the winter.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    White
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Solitary
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Spring
    Summer
    Flower Shape:
    Cross
    Flower Petals:
    4-5 petals/rays
    Colored Sepals
    Flower Size:
    1-3 inches
    Flower Description:
    Flowers are white, solitary on the end of stems, 4-petaled, and 2 inches wide. They appear from May to June.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Insignificant
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Opposite
    Leaf Shape:
    Ovate
    Leaf Margin:
    Doubly Serrate
    Hairs Present:
    Yes
    Leaf Length:
    3-6 inches
    Leaf Width:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Description:
    The leaves are bright green, opposite, simple, ovate, doubly serrated, and 2.5 to 4 inches long with a long pointed tip. They have a yellow pubescence below. A slight green to yellow-tinged fall color
  • Bark:
    Bark Color:
    Light Gray
    Surface/Attachment:
    Smooth
    Bark Description:
    Thin gray and smooth
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Green
    Red/Burgundy
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Buds:
    Scaly
    Stem Bud Scales:
    Enclosed in more than 2 scales
    Stem Cross Section:
    Round
    Stem Description:
    Stems are green or brown and can become reddish. The winter buds have three or more scales that overlap each other with one edge exposed and one covered.
  • Landscape:
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Urban Conditions
    Problems:
    Poisonous to Humans
    Weedy
  • Poisonous to Humans:
    Poison Severity:
    High
    Poison Symptoms:
    Difficult breathing, weakness, excitement, pupil dilation, abdominal pains, vomiting, spasms, convulsions, coma, respiratory failure. Highly toxic, may be fatal if eaten.
    Poison Toxic Principle:
    Amygdalin, a cyanogenic glycoside
    Causes Contact Dermatitis:
    No
    Poison Part:
    Fruits