Distribution: Widely distributed on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to Alberta, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Colorado.

Habitat: Moist to dry open forests, low to mid-elevations in the mountains.

Flowers: June-September

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bumblebees, bees, flies, beetles

Evergreen, heavy-scented shrub, the stems spreading, 0.5-2 m. tall, the young twigs mostly glabrous.

Leaves alternate, the blades ovate-elliptic to ovate, thick, 5-10 cm. long, glabrous, glutinous-varnished and shining, often bronze-tinged on the upper surface, grayish beneath, strongly 3-veined from the base; stipules 1 mm. long; petioles 1-2 cm. long.

Inflorescence of large, axillary, compound panicles; calyx 5-lobed; petals 5, long-clawed, hooded, creamy-white; stamens 5, opposite the petals, separated from the pistil by a flat, lobed disk, which also embeds the ovary; style 1, stigmas 3.

Capsules 4-5 mm. long, deeply 3-lobed, crested slightly above the middle.