Japan Flora: Tree; branches loosely pilose while young; leaves ovate or ovate-elliptic, 4-7 cm. long, 2.5- 35 cm. wide, brownish when unfolded, caudate, doubly serrulate, rounded or rarely shallowly cordate at base, scattered long hairy while young, later appressed-pilose and with axillary tufts beneath, the petioles 8-12 mm. long, slender, glabrescent; peduncles 1.5-2 cm. long, glabrescent, sometimes minutely puberulous above; ament scales narrowly subovate or ovate-subdeltoid, 10-18 mm. long, with a lobule on each side at base, the margin tootlied on one or both sides; nut broadly deltoid-ovate, striate, glabrous or puberulous above.

Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu. Korea.

Korea Flora: Deciduous tree. Height 15m. Diameter 1m. Bark gray, rough. Winter buds and branchlets: Terminal buds 5-10mm long, ovoid or ovoid-elliptical, with long tail-like tip development. 16-18 scales present. Branchlets and winter buds glabrous. Leaf scars semi-circular. Leaves alternate, reddish-tinged but green, elliptical or elongated-ovoid, 4-6(7.5)cm × 2-3(4)cm, long tail-like pointed tip (about 1cm), base rounded or cuneate, double serrate, 10-12 pairs of lateral veins, upper surface glabrous, fine hairs on veins of lower surface, petiole 6-18mm long, glabrous. Flowers monoecious, appearing before leaves, male catkins pendulous on branchlets, male flowers single per bract with 8 stamens, filaments divided into 2. Female catkins stalked with 2 female flowers per bract, 2 styles present. Fruit and Seeds: fruiting catkins 4-8cm × 1-8cm, stalked and pendulous. Bracts 10-17mm long, with incised teeth on one side and single tooth at opposite base, asymmetrical but with symmetrical lobes developing on both sides. Small nut 3mm long, broadly ovoid.

Sporophyte chromosome number 16.
Flowering period: Late April to early May
Fruiting period: Mid to late October
Distribution: Throughout Japan; south of Gangwon and Hwanghae Provinces

Ecological characteristics: Intermediate between shade-tolerant and shade-intolerant species; prefers high light conditions when young but grows well in heavily shaded areas. Grows well in moist soils on slightly sloped terrain. Drought resistant and grows well as shrub-like vegetation in lowland areas.