Staggerbush is a native deciduous shrub of the heath family most at home in the moist sandy soils and peaty flatlands of the coastal plain, though it is considered rare in the Piedmont despite the common name, and endangered in several northern states. It is a plant of edges and disturbed margins, capable of flowering in spring under normal conditions or again in fall after a site has burned. The pink urn-shaped flowers are modest individually but clustered generously enough to make a good show, and the foliage turns a clean bright red before dropping in autumn.

It spreads by rhizomes and blooms on the previous year's growth, so pruning should follow flowering rather than precede it. Moist to wet, sandy or peaty, acidic soil suits it best, but it adapts to loamy garden soils provided moisture is consistent. It tolerates poor soils that would defeat more demanding shrubs. Planted in naturalized areas, as a low hedge, or alongside wet-site companions in a rain garden, staggerbush brings quiet seasonal interest without requiring attention.