A large shrub reaching up to 12' but only ½ as wide, giving it an upright habit, but still maintaining strong horizontally tiered branching. Begins blooming in May, then reblooms sporadically throughout the summer. Leaves, flowers, and fruit are smaller than the type. Differentiated from 'Watanabe' by darker, more leathery leaves and a stronger tiered habit, but I fear the two have been mixed up in the trade and sold interchangeably. Discovered in the wild in Japan in the early 1960's by R.F. Michaud of Alpenglow Gardens. Introduced by the Canadian Ornamental Plant Foundation. Zone 5