Korea Flora: Deciduous shrub, 5-6m tall. Young branches with woolly hairs, hollow pith, soft-pubescent. Terminal buds acute; lateral buds ovoid-globose, small, pubescent. Terminal buds ovoid or conical, apex acute, with 4-6 scales, 1-3mm long. Lateral buds opposite with terminal and accessory buds at tip. Leaf scars opaque.Leaves opposite, spathulate or elliptic-spathulate, 3-6(8) × 3-4(6)cm; apex obtuse, base rounded or cordate; adaxially initially pubescent becoming glabrous except on veins, abaxially tomentose; margins entire; petioles 3-6mm long.Flowers axillary; peduncles 10mm long, densely pubescent, bearing 2 flowers. Bracts linear, 5-8mm long, pubescent; bracteoles ovate-obtuse, margin glandular-ciliate, shorter than ovary. Calyx lobes ovate or elliptic, 5-10mm long, margin glandular-ciliate; corolla changing from white to yellow. Filaments with hairs and glands; style pubescent.Fruit separate, globose, 8mm in diameter, red.

Flowering early to mid-May
Fruiting June-July.
Distribution: Southern Hokkaido, Japan Sea side of Honshu (Japan); Ulleung Island.
Taxonomic notes: Previously treated as distinct species L. insularis Nakai due to significant leaf size differences between Ulleung Island and Japanese populations, but now considered insular variation.