[3] Native to North America, it is browsed by some animals and planted for ornamental and ecological purposes, but is poisonous to humans.

S. albus is an erect, deciduous shrub, producing a stiff, branching main stem and often several smaller shoots from a rhizome.

They are generally oval, differing in size and shape, and up to 5 centimetres (2 inches) long, or slightly larger on the shoots.

[7] This shrub is an important food source for a number of animals, including bighorn sheep, white-tailed deer, and grizzly bears.

[8] Native Americans used the plant as medicine, soap, sometimes for food, and the wood was good for arrow shafts.

[citation needed] This shrub is used for erosion control in riparian areas, and it is planted in ecological restoration projects on disturbed sites such as abandoned mines.