Trending: multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora) — 1008 observations this week
iNaturalist Community
Invasive Species
Multiflora rose forms impenetrable thickets that crowd out the native shrubs and wildflowers your local pollinators and ground-nesting birds depend on — and it spreads faster in disturbed areas like trail edges and old meadows you may be trying to restore.
Multiflora rose is a thorny shrub originally from Asia that was once planted on purpose for erosion control and wildlife habitat, but turned out to be incredibly pushy — it takes over open fields and woodland edges and is very hard to remove once established. Right now it's in full bloom with clusters of small white flowers, which is why so many people are noticing and photographing it. The flood of observations this week is a real-time snapshot of where this invasive plant is spreading across the landscape.
Key Findings
1,008 research-grade observations were logged on iNaturalist in a single week, indicating peak bloom and high visibility across its range.
The surge in sightings aligns with late spring flowering phenology, when multiflora rose's dense white flower clusters make it unmistakable in the field.
High observation density signals active spread in disturbed habitats including roadsides, old fields, and forest margins across the Eastern and Midwestern US.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Multiflora rose, an invasive shrub from Asia, is blooming across the Eastern US right now — over 1,000 citizen scientists logged it this week alone, signaling peak flowering season and its aggressive spread into fields, roadsides, and forest edges.
Abstract Preview
multiflora rose is among the most observed plant species this week with 1008 research-grade observations.
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
Species Mentioned
Was this useful?
Urban Tree Canopy Reduces Heat-Related Mortality by 39% in European Cities
Trees in your local park or street aren't just pretty — they are literally keeping people alive during heatwaves, and planting even a modest number of the ri...
Rosa multiflora is a species of rose known commonly as multiflora rose, baby rose, Japanese rose, many-flowered rose, seven-sisters rose, Eijitsu rose and rambler rose. It is native to eastern Asia, in China, Japan, and Korea. It should not be confused with Rosa rugosa, which is also known as "Ja...