Description
This shade loving understory tree remains subtle in the landscape for most of the year. In spring though, the long clusters of fragrant white flowers are very captivating, especially for a small tree which usually grows in shade. A GREAT choice for planting under black walnut trees!
The fruit is astringent and nutritious, and birds love it. Reportedly a historically important source of fruit for some Indigenous Americans, but according to Sam Thayer, this was probably more in the mid-west where the fruit tends to be black and sweet, not red and astringent.
The less than beautiful name comes from the toxicity of the leaves to ruminant animals (cows, deer etc.).
