Description - grows 12-25 m high with a broad, round crown of about 15 m which resemble elms. Grow in a variety of forms from small shrub-like trees to 2 large trees that differ by leaf shape.

 

Leaf - simple leaf alternate along the twig. Tip of leaf is long and tapering from an asymmetrical oval with a coarsely and sharply toothed base. Leaf is bluish green, toothed, with stalk at base of leaf divided into 3 fork-like - similar to Mulberry leaf.

 

Bark - greyish brown, narrow ridges with corky thickenings.

 

Bud - buds are arranged in rows along the stem with each bud enclosed by 2 rows of bud scales.

 

Flower - flowers can be made up of both sexes (perfect) or single sexed (imperfect). Both sexes appear on the same tree (monoecious).

 

Fruit - reddish purple fruit, edible, similar to a cherry, which drupe where the leaf attaches to the branch. A single seed is found in a bony pit. Fruit can stay on the tree after the leaves fall.

 

Wildlife Value - used in windbreaks and fruit is food for wildlife.

 

Wood - used to create crates, boxes, and pallets.