Distribution: Widely distributed on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; southern British Columbia to California, east to the Rocky Mountains.

Habitat: Forest edge, fields, and roadsides from near sea level to middle elevations in the mountains.

Flowers: May-July

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bees, flies, beetles, wasps

Coarse, deciduous shrub 2-4 m. tall, usually with several stems from the base, the twigs soft, glaucous and pithy.

Leaves opposite, petiolate, pinnately compound, with 5-9 lanceolate to lance-ovate, acuminate, sharply serrate leaflets 5-15 cm long and 2-6 cm. wide, usually glabrous.

Inflorescence a flat-topped, many-flowered umbel up to 20 cm. wide, with several rays from the base that are again branched; flowers creamy-white, 4-7 mm. across, the 5 corolla lobes longer than the flat tube; stamens 5; style very short, ovary inferior.

Fruit a globose berry, 4-6 mm. thick, bluish-black, but with a dense, pale, powder-blue bloom.