Since the leaves are arranged in two ranks, the slender branches resemble petioles, bearing pinnae of a compound leaf; the leaves are further often recurved, and are deep green above, and almost white beneath. The large blossoms expand in April, exhaling a rank odour reportedly resembling asafoetida when they first burst, but they become inodorous before the petals drop. The stamens are all bent inwards in bud.
Because the leaves are arranged in two rows, the thin branches resemble petioles, bearing pinnae of a compound leaf; the leaves are further often bent back, and are deep green above, and almost white beneath. The large blossoms expand in April, exhaling a strong smell reportedly similar to asafoetida when they first open, but they become odorless before the petals drop. The stamens are all bent inwards in bud.