Korea Flora: Deciduous shrub. Height 3m. Branchlets: Slender with hair or glandular hairs. Leaves opposite, elliptical, ovate-elliptical, ovate or spoon-shaped, apex acuminate, base broadly cuneate, size (3)6-8(10) cm × 1.5-3cm. Margins entire, upper surface with or without fine hair, lower surface densely pubescent or with sparse hair only on veins. Petiole 5-10mm long, hairy. Flowers in panicles at the end of previous year's growth, 6-20cm long, with hairy inflorescence axis. Flowers light purple, sessile, fragrant. Calyx with dense hair or almost hairless. Petals spoon-shaped, corolla tube 6-10(12) mm long, petals ovate-circular with protuberance at tip, spreading. Anthers purple, attached to back part of corolla tube but not exserted.  Capsule lanceolate, 10-16mm long, apex acuminate, with lenticels.

Flowering Early May to late June.

Fruiting September-October.

Distribution: Jilin and Liaodong in China; Hamgyongbukdo, Pyongannamdo, Pyonganbukdo, Hwanghaedo, Gangwondo, and widely distributed along the Baekdudaegan mountain range to Chungcheongnamdo, Chungcheongbukdo, Jeollanamdo, Jeoolabukdo, Gyeongsangnamdo, and Gyeongsangbukdo in Korea.

Taxonomic notes: Among other Syringa species, this one is easily identifiable due to its smallest flowers and fruits. S. velutina f. kamibayashi (Nakai) T. B. Lee is an invalidly published name.