Scientific name:
Holodiscus discolor General: Erect, usually with several main stems, to 4 m tall; young stems ridged, older one with brownish, peeling bark; stems usually arch.
Leaves: Alternate, deciduous, dull green, hairy, broadly egg-shaped to triangular, 3-6 cm long, lobed or coarsely toothed, in outline similar to leaves of Black Hawthorn; reddish-tinged in autumn.
Flowers: White to cream, small (to 5 mm across); in dense terminal pyramidal, lilac-like clusters 10-17 cm long; flower clusters turn brown and remain on plants over winter.
Fruits: Tiny (about 2 mm long), light-brown, hairy achenes.
Ecology: Dry to moist, open sites (open woods, thickets, clearings, logged areas, ravine edges, coastal bluffs); mostly at low to middle elevations.