Leaves are decussately opposite, obovate to broadly obovate, abruptly acute at the apex, broadly cuneate to rounded at the base, argute-serrulate on the margin.

Flowering in June to July, in axillary pendulous long-peduncled, rather many flowered umbellately branched cymes on new shoots.

Capsules ripening reddish purple in September to October, provided with 4 horizontally spreading elongated triangular wings.

This is one of the most characteristic trees under the canopy of the subalpine forests in central and northern Japan.

The wood, yellowish white and hard, is used for stamps, mosaic work, small fancy ware.

Distribution ; Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Saghalien, Korea, Manchuria, Siberia