MFR changes, if you will, as it matures and grows in size. The main stems will be green with the smaller stems being more of a dark red color. As the plant matures and the stems turn into more like a woody stalk. It tends to be one of the first things to green up (around here it's MFR, Jap bush honey suckle and buckeye - all pretty worthless from a habitat perspective in my opinion). It likes damp soil but will grow anywhere and loves sunlight. So you will mostly find it in successional growth areas or on the edges of dense woods or anywhere there is ample light in the woods. The deer will eat the softer new growth but that is it and the deer typically will NOT keep it in check. I use a brush clearing saw to cut them off and reset them. They have a large root system so spraying mature plants can require a few tries as well. Normally spraying...unless you cover the ENTIRE plant....just seems to piss it off! Some of these I have seem will be taller than a person have a ball of stems so big you can't reach around and a spread of 8 feet in diameter or more. Can be decent cover habitat for birds and rabbits but still require spacing and monitoring.