Shrub to 4 m; bark of young twigs brown, exfoliating the second year; lvs short-petioled, ovate or ovate-oblong, 4-8 cm, acuminate, remotely dentate, pubescent in and near the axils of the 3 main veins beneath, otherwise glabrous; fls in terminal racemes of 5-7, 3 cm wide, fragrant; pedicels, hypanthium, and outer side of sep glabrous; 2n=26. Native of Europe, often escaped from cult. in our range. June, July.
Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.