Stems: branches dark red-brown or gray-brown, not glaucous, glabrous or hairy, (peeled wood smooth or striate with relatively few, short striae); branchlets red-brown, moderately to very densely pubescent or velvety. Leaves: stipules usually foliaceous, sometimes minute rudiments on early ones, foliaceous on late ones, (ca. 4 mm), apex acute; petiole convex to flat, or shallowly grooved adaxially, 3.5-12(-15) mm, villous to puberulent adaxially; largest medial blade (sometimes hemiamphistomatous), broadly obovate, elliptic, broadly elliptic, or subcircular, 24-52(-100) × 12-45 mm, base concave, rounded, subcordate, cordate, or cuneate, margins sometimes slightly revolute, serrulate, or crenulate to subentire, apex abruptly acuminate or acute, abaxial surface glaucous (tip often not glaucous), sparsely to moderately densely puberulent, or silky to glabrescent, hairs appressed or spreading, straight or wavy, adaxial slightly glossy, glabrescent or sparsely to moderately densely puberulent, pubescent, or short-silky (especially midrib); proximal blade margins serrulate, crenulate, or entire; juvenile blade sometimes reddish, long-silky, villous, tomentose (at least on midrib), or glabrous abaxially, hairs usually white, rarely somewhat ferruginous. Catkins flowering as leaves emerge; staminate (densely flowered), stout or subglobose, 17-35 mm, flowering branchlet 1-3 mm; pistillate densely flowered, stout, 9-11(-30)(-80 in fruit) mm, flowering branchlet 2-5.5 mm; floral bract pale brown, 1-1.9(-2.8) mm, apex acute, convex, or rounded, abaxially sparsely hairy, hairs straight or wavy. Staminate flowers: adaxial nectary 0.5-0.7 mm; filaments distinct; anthers purple turning yellow, (ellipsoid or shortly cylindrical), 0.5-0.8 mm. Pistillate flowers: adaxial nectary ovate, square, or flask-shaped, 0.4-0.6(-1) mm; ovary pyriform, pubescent through-out or in patches or streaks, or glabrous (hairs refractive), beak gradually tapering to styles; ovules 12-14 per ovary; styles 0.6-1.5 mm. Capsules 6-10 mm. 2n = 114.
Forests, edges of wetlands, as well as many secondary postforest habitats, such as clearings, coppices, openings, and forest edges, it is quite common on roadsides and in built up areas.
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