Deciduous shrub cultivated since the 16th century with dense mound habit and upright, spreading, arching branches. Big, showy, sterile snowball like inflorescences cover the plant in May emerging light-green and changing to white, and some pink ("rose", hence ‘Roseum’).

They become pendulous with their weight, highly attractive as masses of globular inflorescences amongst the expanded foliage, and persist into Summer. Leafs are opposite, 5-10cm long with good autumn color in the orange-red range, brighter than is usually true of the regular shrub, a condition which helps make up for the lack of decorative berries. It does well in sun or partial shade and is hardy from zone 4 to 8. It likes humus-rich, moist, well draining soil. Will quickly bounce back from even a hard pruning. Grows up to 3m tall and wide in a rounded shape. It is widely used as a shrub border or screen.

English names: Common Snowball, European Snowball, European Cranberrybush, Guelder Rose