Deciduous shrub or tree to 10 m high, often suckering; juvenile phase sometimes spiny; young twigs usually pubescent, dull. Leaves elliptic to obovate, 4–10 cm long, 1.5–5 cm wide, base cuneate to obtuse, apex acute to acuminate, margins crenate or serrate, glabrous or pubescent above, pubescent below; petiole 10–20 mm long. Flowers solitary or in clusters of 2–3 on short lateral branches, appearing with or before the leaves; pedicles 5–20 mm long, usually pubescent. Sepals rounded, usually pubescent, margins glandular; petals ± obovate, white. Drupe globose to ovoid, 1–3.5 cm diam., glabrous, purple, red, yellow or green, flesh sweet or sour; stone broadly ellipsoid, somewhat wrinkled. Flowers Sep.–Nov.
Wim, VVP, VRiv, Gold, DunT, NIS, VAlp. Also naturalised SA, NSW, Tas. Native to Europe. Many horticultural varieties are grown for their edible fruits, occasionally naturalised in Victoria, plants suckering, forming dense colonies.
