Description

General - upright shrub, to 4 m tall; bark smooth, grey.

Leaves - opposite; simple, with 3 long, pointed, spreading lobes; smooth, 6-12 cm long irregularly toothed, deep green above, paler below, red in fall; stalks reddish; stipules to 6 mm long, narrow, often gland-tipped.

Flowers - in flat-topped clusters 5-15 cm across; white; outer flowers large, 1-2 cm across, sterile; inner flowers smaller, 3-4 mm across, fertile; appearing late May to earlyJuly.

Fruit - orange to red, 1-seeded, berry-like drupes, 8-10 mm across, in drooping clusters at branch tips; edible, juicy but acidic; ripening late July to August.

Habitat

Poplar groves, river valleys and moist open woods across northern parkland and southern boreal forest of prairie provinces; more common to east.

Notes

The berries are edible but best suited for preparation of delicious jellies.

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