SHRUB to 3 m tall with arching branches. NEW GROWTH hairless, axillary buds hidden. LEAVES ovate to elliptic, to about 9 cm long, entire or faintly toothed, slightly hairy above, hairy on the veins and in the vein axils below. FLOWERS in clusters of 1,3(9), each flower 4-5 cm wide, hairless on all parts; summer. Stamens mostly 60-90. Seed long-tailed.

var. grandiflorus (Willd.) A. Gray is sometimes listed and described as having leaves sharply toothed and flowers cup-shaped at first but it is generally placed in synonymy with the species.

SE USA.

Source: Spencer, R. (2002). Hydrangeaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 3. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 2. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.