It is a shrub or tree of medium height, which can reach 7 meters (max 15 m) in height.
The leaves are dark green, much lighter and shiny when young; thick (1-1.5 mm) and leathery; oblong and rounded towards the apex; slightly serrated outwards.
The flowers are white; hermaphrodite; arranged like a raceme, with a perfumed but acid smell. It blooms between April and June.
The fruits are drupes (approx. 1 cm) red / purple when unripe, and black-bluish when ripe. Fruits in late summer-early autumn.
