Flowering shrub
Pearlbush
Exochorda racemosa
🌷 Flowering shrubIntroduced in the lower 48
Pearlbush is a popular flowering shrub. It's on our flower lists for 18 states.
11states
18of our state lists
79U.S. sightings*
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 23, 2026. Planted garden shrubs are mostly excluded from research grade.
On our lists for: Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia
Quick look
Exochorda racemosa, the pearlbush or common pearlbush, is a species of plant in the family Rosaceae. This species is mostly found in China and Japan.
- It belongs to the Rosaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as introduced in the lower 48 states and records it in 11 states. USDA PLANTS
- iNaturalist has 13 research-grade sightings of it in South Carolina, ranking #130 among the 171 flowers on our South Carolina list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 13 research-grade sightings of it in Virginia, ranking #138 among the 189 flowers on our Virginia list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 12 research-grade sightings of it in North Carolina, ranking #146 among the 192 flowers on our North Carolina list. iNaturalist
Pearlbush gift ideas
Handmade pearlbush gifts from independent makers.
🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.
-
Placeholder
Pearlbush art print
-
Placeholder
Pearlbush greeting card
-
Placeholder
Pearlbush mug
-
Placeholder
Pearlbush earrings
-
Placeholder
Pearlbush embroidery pattern
-
Placeholder
Pearlbush sticker
When does it bloom?
Bloom time in each of our 18 states
| State | Type | Peak bloom | Sightings* |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | 🌷 Garden | few records | 13 |
| Virginia | 🌷 Garden | few records | 13 |
| North Carolina | 🌷 Garden | few records | 12 |
| Arkansas | 🌷 Garden | few records | 11 |
| Georgia | 🌷 Garden | few records | 9 |
| New Jersey | 🌷 Garden | few records | 4 |
| New York | 🌷 Garden | few records | 2 |
| Delaware | 🌷 Garden | few records | 1 |
| Missouri | 🌷 Garden | few records | 1 |
| California | 🌷 Garden | few records | 0 |
| Connecticut | 🌷 Garden | few records | 0 |
| Illinois | 🌷 Garden | few records | 0 |
| Louisiana | 🌷 Garden | few records | 0 |
| Massachusetts | 🌷 Garden | few records | 0 |
| Michigan | 🌷 Garden | few records | 0 |
| Ohio | 🌷 Garden | few records | 0 |
| Oregon | 🌷 Garden | few records | 0 |
| Vermont | 🌷 Garden | few records | 0 |
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
- South Carolina
- No list South Carolina has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's South Carolina ranks instead. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in South Carolina.
- Virginia
- Not listed Not on Virginia endangered and threatened plant and insect species (2VAC5-320-10). NatureServe has no Virginia rank for it. 2VAC5-320-10
- North Carolina
- Not listed Not on North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301). NatureServe has no North Carolina rank for it. 02 NCAC 48F .0301
- Arkansas
- No list Arkansas has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Arkansas ranks instead. NatureServe has no Arkansas rank for it.
- Georgia
- Not listed Not on Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Georgia. Ga. R. 391-4-10-.09
- New Jersey
- Not listed Not on New Jersey Endangered Plant Species List (N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1). NatureServe has no New Jersey rank for it. N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1
- New York
- Not listed Not on New York protected native plants (6 NYCRR § 193.3). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in New York. 6 NYCRR § 193.3
- Delaware
- Not listed Not on Rare and Uncommon Plants of Delaware (DNREC, 2024; informational, Delaware has no state plant-protection list). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Delaware. DE rare plants 2024
- Missouri
- Not listed Not on Missouri Wildlife Code endangered species (3 CSR 10-4.111), plants. NatureServe has no Missouri rank for it. 3 CSR 10-4.111
- California
- Not listed Not on California state-listed endangered, threatened and rare plants (14 CCR § 670.2), per CDFW's CNDDB list (July 2026). NatureServe has no California rank for it. CNDDB listed plants (July 2026)
- Connecticut
- Not listed Not on Connecticut Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Plants (RCSA 26-306; 2015 list). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Connecticut. CT E/T/SC list
- Illinois
- Not listed Not on Illinois List of Endangered and Threatened Flora (17 Ill. Adm. Code 1050), per the Endangered Species Protection Board's 2025 checklist. NatureServe has no Illinois rank for it. IL E&T checklist 2025
- Louisiana
- No list Louisiana has no state list of endangered or threatened plants separate from the federal list, so we show federal status and NatureServe's Louisiana ranks. NatureServe has no Louisiana rank for it.
- Massachusetts
- Not listed Not on Massachusetts Endangered Species Act list (321 CMR 10.90). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Massachusetts. MESA list
- Michigan
- Not listed Not on Michigan endangered and threatened plants (Mich. Admin. Code R 299.1028, eff. March 20, 2023). NatureServe has no Michigan rank for it. R 299.1028
- Ohio
- Not listed Not on Ohio endangered and threatened plants (Ohio Adm. Code 1501:18-1-03, eff. Dec. 26, 2024). NatureServe has no Ohio rank for it. OAC 1501:18-1-03
- Oregon
- Not listed Not on Oregon endangered and threatened plants (OAR 603-073-0070). NatureServe has no Oregon rank for it. OAR 603-073-0070
- Vermont
- Not listed Not on Endangered and Threatened Plants of Vermont (10 V.S.A. chap. 123; list of Feb 10, 2022). NatureServe has no Vermont rank for it. Vermont E&T list
- Rare elsewhere
- No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.
Checked October 23, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
For peopleNot well documented
None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. NC State Extension
For petsNot well documented
It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records pearlbush in 11 states.
AKMEVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILWIMINYRIMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTCAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia.
South Carolina counties with USDA records: Lexington, Newberry.
Virginia counties with USDA records: Henrico.
More South Carolina flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile EXRA.
- iNaturalist, Exochorda racemosa: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 23, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Exochorda racemosa (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- South Carolina: South Carolina State Plant Pest List, plants (S.C. Code Regs. 27-135; Clemson Dept. of Plant Industry).
- Virginia: Virginia endangered and threatened plant and insect species (2VAC5-320-10).
- Virginia: Virginia noxious weeds (2VAC5-317-20, Tier 1, 2 and 3).
- North Carolina: North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301).
- North Carolina: North Carolina Noxious Weed List (02 NCAC 48A .1702) (the list names any non-native Lythrum; we apply it to purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), which isn't native).
- Arkansas: Arkansas State Plant Board noxious weeds and prohibited plants (2 CAR § 50-101).
- Georgia: Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed).
- New Jersey: New Jersey Endangered Plant Species List (N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1).
- New Jersey: New Jersey prohibited invasive plant species (Invasive Species Management Act; propagation banned from Jan 1, 2027, sale from Jan 1, 2030).
- New York: New York protected native plants (6 NYCRR § 193.3).
- New York: New York prohibited and regulated invasive species (6 NYCRR Part 575).
- Delaware: Rare and Uncommon Plants of Delaware (DNREC, 2024; informational, Delaware has no state plant-protection list).
- Delaware: Delaware Invasive Plant List (3 Del. Admin. Code § 806-3.0).
- Missouri: Missouri Wildlife Code endangered species (3 CSR 10-4.111), plants.
- Missouri: Missouri noxious weed list (2 CSR 70-45.005).
- California: California state-listed endangered, threatened and rare plants (14 CCR § 670.2), per CDFW's CNDDB list (July 2026).
- California: California noxious weed species (3 CCR § 4500).
- Connecticut: Connecticut Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Plants (RCSA 26-306; 2015 list).
- Connecticut: Connecticut prohibited invasive plants (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 22a-381d).
- Illinois: Illinois List of Endangered and Threatened Flora (17 Ill. Adm. Code 1050), per the Endangered Species Protection Board's 2025 checklist.
- Illinois: Illinois Official List of Exotic Weeds (17 Ill. Adm. Code 1100.30, Illinois Exotic Weed Act).
- Massachusetts: Massachusetts Endangered Species Act list (321 CMR 10.90).
- Massachusetts: Massachusetts Prohibited Plant List (MDAR) (Text from MDAR's 2023 scientific-name PDF (mass.gov blocks automated downloads); 2024-2026 additions listed on the mass.gov page: Alnus glutinosa, Pyrus calleryana, Miscanthus sinensis, Aralia elata, Rhodotypos scandens, Symplocos paniculata.).
- Michigan: Michigan endangered and threatened plants (Mich. Admin. Code R 299.1028, eff. March 20, 2023).
- Michigan: Michigan prohibited and restricted species (NREPA Part 413 and the 2026 Invasive Species Order), as listed by Michigan's Invasive Species Program.
- Ohio: Ohio endangered and threatened plants (Ohio Adm. Code 1501:18-1-03, eff. Dec. 26, 2024).
- Ohio: Ohio invasive plant species (Ohio Adm. Code 901:5-30-01).
- Oregon: Oregon endangered and threatened plants (OAR 603-073-0070).
- Oregon: Oregon noxious weed quarantine, A and B weeds (OAR 603-052-1200).
- Vermont: Endangered and Threatened Plants of Vermont (10 V.S.A. chap. 123; list of Feb 10, 2022).
- Vermont: Vermont Quarantine List, Regulated Introduced Plant Species Rule (eff. June 16, 2026).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 23, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Exochorda racemosa (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
- Photo: AConfer via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.