わが国の各地をはじめ、台湾や朝鮮半島、中国それにインドシナ半島に分布しています。山地の水辺に生え、高さは10〜20メートルになります。成長が早く、枝が幹に輪生状につきます。水を吸い上げる力が強く、春先に枝を切ると樹液が多くでてきます。5月から6月ごろ、散房花序をだして小さな白い花を咲かせます。「くまのみずき(熊野水木)」と似ていますが、大きな円形に近い葉が互生または束生することで区別できます。台湾華語では「燈台樹」、中国語では「灯台樹(deng tai shu)」と呼ばれます。
The Giant dogwood (Swida controversa) belongs to Cornaceae (the Dogwood family). It is a tall deciduous tree that is distributed throughout Japan, as well as Taiwan, the Korean Peninsula, China and the Indochina Peninsula. This tree grows in montane water's edges and can reach 10-20 m in height. It grows easily and the branches are whorled around the trunk. It absorbs much water and bleeds sap freely if the branch is cutted. The corymbs are borne and bloom small white flowers from May to June. This tree resembles large-leaf dogwood, though it is defined by alternate or fasciculate large roundish leaves. In Taiwanese, it is called "燈台樹", and in Chinese, it is called "灯台樹" (deng tai shu).