Shrubs 1–3 m tall. Branches upright at first, finally scrambling, densely pubescent, with intermixed reddish brown bristles, stalked glands, and sparse prickles. Leaves imparipinnate, 3-foliolate, rarely 5-foliolate; petiole 3–6 cm, petiolule of terminal leaflet 2–3 cm, lateral leaflets subsessile, petiolule and rachis pubescent, with intermixed reddish brown bristles, stalked glands, and sparse prickles; stipules linear, 5–8 mm, pubescent, with intermixed glandular hairs; blade of leaflets ovate, broadly ovate, or rhombic, rarely elliptic, 4–8(–10) × 2–5(–7) cm, abaxially densely gray tomentose, bristly, stipitate glandular, with sparse, minute needle-like prickles, adaxially appressed pubescent or pubescent only along veins, base rounded to subcordate, margin irregularly rough serrate, usually incised, terminal leaflet often lobed, apex acute to acuminate. Inflorescences terminal or axillary, short racemes, few flowered, terminal racemes 6–10 cm, lateral ones shorter; rachis, pedicels, and abaxial surface of calyx densely pubescent, bristly, stipitate glandular; bracts lanceolate, 5–8 mm, pubescent, stipitate glandular, margin entire or apically 2-lobed. Pedicel 0.5–1.5 cm. Flowers 6–10 mm in diam. Sepals erect, lanceolate, 1–1.5 cm × 4–7 mm, apex caudate. Petals purplish red, obovate-spatulate or suborbicular, much longer than sepals, base long clawed and pubescent. Stamens many, nearly as long as or slightly shorter than petals. Pistils somewhat longer than stamens; ovary glabrous or puberulous. Aggregate fruit orange or red, subglobose, ca. 1 cm in diam., glabrous; pyrenes prominently rugose, pitted. Fl. May–Jun, fr. Jul–Aug. 2n = 14.

Roadsides, montane valleys. Low to medium elevations. Gansu, Henan. Hubei, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan [Japan, Korea; naturalized in Europe and North America].