FLOWERS.—May, with the leaves; perfect; greenish; in dense clusters, surrounded by 4 large, white or pinkish, petal-like bracts (often mistaken for the corolla), borne on short, stout peduncles; calyx 4-lobed, light green; petals 4, yellow-green; stamens 4, alternate with the petals; ovary 2-celled.
FRUIT.—October; an ovoid, scarlet drupe, borne in close clusters of 3-4; flesh is bitter.
WINTER-BUDS.—Leaf-buds narrow-conical, acute, greenish; flower-buds spherical or vertically flattened, grayish.
BARK.—Twigs pale green, becoming red or yellow-green their first winter, later becoming light brown or red-gray; red-brown or blackish on the trunk, often separating into quadrangular, plate-like scales.
WOOD.—Heavy, hard, strong, tough, close-grained, brownish, with thick, lighter colored sapwood.
DISTRIBUTION.—Southern Michigan as far north as the Grand-Saginaw Valley.
HABITAT.—Prefers rich, well-drained soil, usually under the shade of other trees.
NOTES.—A valuable species for ornamental purposes. Rather slow of growth.