This vigorous, multi-stemmed native is a true harbinger of spring in the northeast part of the country and one of the easiest, most rewarding landscape plants to grow. Its stems grow strongly upright producing an oval shaped plant that can be used easily along the foundation of a large building or as a naturalized clump in any sunny or partially sunny home landscape spot. As leaves begin to emerge, erect plumes of snowy white, small flowers emerge in late April dusting the landscape with clouds of cottony color. Deep green foliage emerges, cloaking the plant and providing a backdrop for shiny black fruit that matures in late summer much to the delight of birds anywhere in the same zip code. Remarkable golden yellow to orange fall color gives way to clean, gray, muscular bark that shows well all winter.