Size: shrub, 7-15' average height and spread at maturity
Buds: terminal or pseudoterminal bud, from which flowers emerge, lateral buds hidden beneath petioles
Leaves: evergreen, essentially alternate, sometimes opposite or whorled, 2-5" long, .5-1.5" wide, simple, elliptic to lanceolate, margins entire, tip acute to short acuminate, shiny dark green on top, yellow-green underside
Twigs: sticky when young, pith solid light green, bark of older stems cracks exposing lighter colors
Flowers: monoecious, interesting flat 1" wide flowers in terminal clusters up to 6" across, colors vary from whites to pinks to reds to purples, filaments are bent under tension and the anthers they support are tucked into notches in the petals, blooms May-June
Fruit: five-valved capsule that persists through winter
Bark: gray brown, with stripes or ridges and furrows
