It is a
deciduous shrub or small
tree growing to tall. The
leaves are opposite, simple oval to lanceolate, long and broad, with a finely serrated margin; they are densely downy on the underside, less so on the upper surface. The
hermaphrodite flowers are small, around , and creamy-white, produced in dense
cymes width at the top of the stems; they are produced in early summer, and
pollinated by
insects. The
fruit is an oblong
drupe long, green at first, turning red, then finally black at full maturity, and contains a single
seed. The seeds are dispersed when
birds eat the fruit, then deposit the seeds in another location in their droppings. ==Cultivation and uses==