Jetbead (Rhodotypos scandens)
This member of the rose family is native to Japan. It is a deciduous shrub that grows about five feet high and seven feet wide in meadows and forests and along forest edges and roadsides. Jetbead prefers full sun and moist, well-drained soils, but it can grow in full shade.
Jetbead is not common in our watershed, but it has been sighted. If you see it in the springtime or in autumn, you'll recognize it easily because of its distinctive flowers and berries. In April and May, its beautiful four-petaled white flowers are attention getters, and at this time of year, its clusters of four black, single seeded fruits set it apart from other shrubs.
Although it is uncommon in our region, jetbead is a plant species that concerns us greatly. It can form thickets that displace native plants and prevent the growth of native trees, shrubs, and herbs. Our Central Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team has identified jetbead as one of the forest invasives that needs to be stopped in its tracks before it gains a foothold (roothold?) in this part of the state. If you see a plant that you think might be jetbead on your property, or on property that you walk or drive past, please let us know. Call (908) 234-1852 or email Melissa Almendinger, our Invasive Species Project Coordinator -- we'll help you confirm its identity and determine the best way to remove it.
For more information about exotic invasive plants and URWA's efforts to eliminate newly emerging species from our region, please visit our Central Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team web pages. You'll also find out how you can become involved in this important effort!
Jetbead is not common in our watershed, but it has been sighted. If you see it in the springtime or in autumn, you'll recognize it easily because of its distinctive flowers and berries. In April and May, its beautiful four-petaled white flowers are attention getters, and at this time of year, its clusters of four black, single seeded fruits set it apart from other shrubs.
Although it is uncommon in our region, jetbead is a plant species that concerns us greatly. It can form thickets that displace native plants and prevent the growth of native trees, shrubs, and herbs. Our Central Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team has identified jetbead as one of the forest invasives that needs to be stopped in its tracks before it gains a foothold (roothold?) in this part of the state. If you see a plant that you think might be jetbead on your property, or on property that you walk or drive past, please let us know. Call (908) 234-1852 or email Melissa Almendinger, our Invasive Species Project Coordinator -- we'll help you confirm its identity and determine the best way to remove it.
For more information about exotic invasive plants and URWA's efforts to eliminate newly emerging species from our region, please visit our Central Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team web pages. You'll also find out how you can become involved in this important effort!
Photo: John Randall, The Nature Conservancy, Bugwood.org
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