A small shrub to 4 feet tall and wide, though it has a suckering habit with the tendency to form colonies. Erect, arching branches. Gray-green leaves are opposite and oval shaped with coarse, round teeth. Clusters of non-showy, pink flowers are followed by white berries, which discolor to brown or black. Best used in larger landscapes or for erosion control. Attractive forage for songbirds and hummingbirds; attracts native bees.
Grow in full sun to light shade, in dry infertile gravel to well-drained sandy or clay-loam soils. It has salt and pH tolerance. Individual plants can be somewhat short-lived, but its suckering habit will make it difficult to tell.