Soil Notes:
Prefer fertile, well-drained, alkaline soils; do not tolerate heavy clay soils
Range:
Most are native to northeast Asia, but there are two species that are native to Europe
Diagnostic Characteristics:
Leaves are opposite, simple, heart-shaped to elliptical, and pointed generally with entire margins, but sometimes (rarely) lobed. The small, 4-petaled flowers can be single or double and occur in panicles. Flowers can be a wide range of colors, including purples, pinks, and whites.