European redelder is a deciduous shrub with a multi-stemmed, upright habit, growing about 8 to 12 feet tall and wide. It has large, glossy, pinnately compounded, dark green leaves, elliptic to linear in shape and sharply serrated. Flowers with clusters of small creamy white flowers that bloom in late spring and summer. Flowers are followed by small red berries that last through the summer into the fall. The berries are enjoyed by birds and the flower nectar attracts hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. The dense, spreading root system makes it useful for soil stabilization and erosion control in moist sites, such as those along riparian corridors.
Grow in full sun to dense shade in well drained, moist to wet soils. pH adaptive. Though originally native to Europe, it has naturalized across the western United States, including Utah. Berries are edible after cooking.