This upright, spreading multi-stemmed shrub grows 10 to 15 feet tall with a spread equal to its height. It is lovely for the home landscape border. The outstanding feature of common smokebush is its late-summer "smokiness." In early summer, the five-petaled yellow flowers, 1/8 inch in diameter, are rather inconspicuous. Peak show is later in summer when the long hairs on the flower stalks change color to a smoky pink or purple. It is a wonderful novelty accent to a border.