A large deciduous precocious shrub, 2-3 m tall with stiff stout branches; winter buds protected by scales. Leaves 5-12 x 2.5-6 cm, elliptic, oblong, acute (scarcely short acuminate), sharply toothed, cuneate at the base, more or less hairy on the nerves. Main lateral nerves 7-10 pairs, prominent, closely parallel, undivided. Flowers in terminal sessile corymbs. Bracts variable in size, hairy. Calyx tube mm long, glabrous; lobes short, ciliate. Corolla long-tubular, 10-15 mm lobes rounded, spreading, white to rose-pink. Stamens in two series, 2 attached near the mouth of corolla tube, 3 lower down, anthers included. Stigma subsessile, 3-lobed. Drupe c. 1 cm long, ellipsoid, compressed, black when ripe. Seed sigh grooved on one side, deeply grooved on the other with incurved margins.