Harrington is a red-twigged phenotype with a spreading rather than upright canopy. It is a short to medium satured phenotype. The leaves display prominent veins on the upper side and the lower sides are light green and pubescent.
Leaves turn red in the fall.
Flowers are creamy white and grow in clusters on the outer canopy. It tolerates seasonally flooded soils and course-textured soils. It requires an effective annual precipitation of 20 inches on uplands but grows in areas that receive less annual precipitation when planting sites are moist most of the season. It occurs along perennial and intermittent streams and water courses. It is tolerant of partial shade.