The tree species Maackia amurensis is commonly known as the Amur maackia. It can grow 15 metres (49 ft) tall. The species epithet and common names are from the Amur River region, where the tree originated; it occurs in northeastern China, Korea, and Russia. Only reaching about 15 feet (4.6 m) tall in the American midwest, Amur maackia tolerates severe dryness, cold and heavy soils. More interesting than the summer flowers are the unfolding buds in spring which appear silvery and showy like flowers with frost on them.

A new natural alkaloid, (+)-maackiamine, was isolated from the flowers of Maackia amurensis var. buergeri together with 10 known alkaloids. The structure of the new natural compound was determined as 1-acetyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-5-(2′-pyrrolidinyl)pyridine by spectroscopic.

A novel stilbenolignan, named maackoline has been obtained from heartwood of Maackia amurensis. Its structure was established as 7-epi,8′-epi,11-de-O-methyl-5′-methoxygnetifolin F on the basis of spectral data.