Size: tree, 15-20' average height and spread at maturity
Buds: vegetative buds slender naked red-brown tomentose, terminal bud larger than laterals, flower buds rounded, often stalked and at an angle to the stem and densely covered with dark red-brown hairs
Leaves: deciduous, alternate, 6-12" long, 3-6" wide, simple, obovate-oblong, short acuminate apex, entire, medium or dark green on top, lighter green underside, yellow or yellow green in fall
Twigs: glabrous, red-brown, raised leaf scars, 5 bundle scars, in 2-year twigs continuous white pith divided by greenish diaphragms
Flowers: monoecious, purple, 1-2", 6 petals, bloom in May
Fruit: greenish-yellow berry, 2-5", edible
Bark: dark brown and gray when young, rough and slightly scaly with age
