This deciduous shrub has an open, rounded habit. Common throughout the midwest, it can most frequently be found in wetland areas and ditches, swamps, river bottomland and stream/pond margins. Tiny, tubular, fragrant white flowers appear in dense, long-stalked bunches in early to mid-summer. Flowers have a distinctively pincushion-like appearance and are very attractive to bees and butterflies. Flowers mature into hard spherical ball-like fruits consisting of multiple tiny two-seeded nutlets that usually persist throughout the winter.
Attracts Tiger Swallowtail, Painted Lady, Silver-Spotted Skipper butterflies.