Black Jetbead Rhodotypos scandens
Other Common Name(s):
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
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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:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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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.
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
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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
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Smooth
- Bark Description:
- Thin gray and smooth
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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.
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Landscape:
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Urban Conditions
- Problems:
- Poisonous to Humans
- Weedy
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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
