It flowers in the fall and is dioecious which means it has male and female flowers on separate plants. It is found in ditches and in salt marshes and along shorelines and because of its abundance, often overlooked.
This shrub provides food for over a dozen species of moths as well as other pollinators.
The flowers that bloom in the fall are long white paintbrushes that glow in the reflected sun and then burst into long-legged white spiders and sail across the air to form new plants. Depending on the wind they can fly a good long way. While it is native to my backyard, it can be considered invasive in other parts of the globe.
It is usually only noticed in autumn when the bush looks like a snow-topped shrub against the autumn colors.
And below, I actually managed to catch a few wind-born seeds using a long-range lens from my deck!! Pat me on the back.