This species is primarily found in the Midwestern United States, but its range extends from southern Ontario south to northern Florida and Texas.

The twigs are dark purplish-brown, slender, sometimes four-angled or slightly winged.

The leaves are opposite, elliptical, 8.5–11.3 cm long and 3.2–5.5 cm broad, abruptly long pointed at the tip, and with a finely serrated margin; they are green above, paler and often with fine hairs beneath, and turn bright red in the fall.

The flowers are bisexual, 10–12 mm diameter, with four greenish sepals, four brown-purple petals and four stamens; they are produced in small axillary cymes.

The fruit is poisonous to humans, but is eaten by several species of birds, which disperse the seeds in their droppings.