Plant Family: Rosaceae
Growth Form: Arching shrub to 4 meters tall that often scrambles over other shrubs; the stems root where they touch the ground, contributing to its spread.
Leaves: Alternate, compound, with 7 – 9 elliptic, toothed leaflets with a pointed apex; the stipules are obviously fringed.
Bark: The slender canes are smooth, often with stout paired thorns at the leaf nodes.
Flowers: White, with 5 petals, in dense clusters at the twig tips; May to June.
Fruits: Small, hard, red rosehips, each 1 cm or less in diameter, in open clusters at the twig ends; late summer into winter. The fruits are eaten by birds, which spread the seeds far and wide.
Habitat: Woodland borders, pastures, abandoned agricultural land, along streams; tends to form dense thickets.
Range: The native range is Japan, Korea, and eastern China.
Key Features: The deeply fringed leaf stipules, large flower clusters, and small numerous fruits are all good field marks.
Comments: Multiflora Rose was first introduced to the U. S. in the 19th century as hardy rootstock for ornamental roses. Beginning in the 1930s it was widely planted for erosion control. It has proven to be a major problem species, however, and is listed as invasive in 38 states, including all of the New England states except Vermont.
