bush oceanspray Rosaceae Holodiscus dumosus (Nutt. ex Hook.) A. Heller symbol: HODU Leaf: Alternate, simple, deciduous, 3/4 to 2 inches long, ovate, and either coarsely toothed or lobed and serrate; entire near the base, prominently penniveined, green above and paler, velvety white below. Flower: Perfect, very small creamy white flowers borne in 2 inch terminal clusters, appearing in mid-summer. Fruit: Tiny, light brown, 1-seeded follicles borne in long clusters; fruit clusters persist through the winter and into the next growing season. Twig: Slender, slightly ridged when young but becoming round with time; pith is large, white, and spongy; buds pinkish brown. Basal spouts are very straight and were historically used for arrow shafts. Bark: Smooth and gray-brown. Form: An erect, loosely branched shrub growing to 15 feet tall; typically has multiple, straight stems arising from the base. Looks like: oceanspray - hawthorn Additional Range Information: Holodiscus dumosus is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. See states reporting bush oceanspray. External Links: USDAFS Additional Silvics USDA Plants Database © Copyright 2016, Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, all rights reserved. Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson