Size: shrub, 8-10' average height at maturity, equal spread
Buds: winter buds have 2-3 pairs of overlapping scales, outer 2 shorter than inner, ovate to conical
Leaves: deciduous, opposite, 2-4.5" long, 1-4" wide, simple, coarsely dentate margins, acuminate tip, shiny dark green, glabrous on both sides, fall color yellow, shiny red, or purplish
Twigs: stems glabrous, leaf scars have hairs around margins
Flowers: monoecious, white petals, yellow stamens, 2-4" flat-topped cymes on roughly 2" peduncles
Fruit: .25" blue or blue-black drupe, oval to rounded
Bark: gray or gray-brown
