Very pretty, normally deciduous shrubs, small to medium in size. Flowers often in profusion, with 5 petals (similar to Philadelphus, but these have 4 petals), or double flowers, white to pink. In spring to summer. Once finished flowering cut back or thin out those flowered shoots, allowing new flowering shoots to grow ready for the following year.
All forms have highly fragrant flowers that are extremely attractive to pollinators, especially bumblebees, honeybees, butterflies and moths, although doubled forms provide fewer resources that wildlife can use.