Deciduous shrub or small tree to about 6 m tall. Leaves elliptic to roundish, to about 10 cm long, dark green above, bluish below, brown tufts of hair in vein axils below, margin wavy-edged and with a distinctive extended pointed tip, turning coppery or red in autumn. Flowers small in dense rounded heads; late spring to early summer. Bracts 4, pointed, to 5 cm long, cream, with long-pointed tip. Fruit strawberry-like, to 2 cm wide.

var. chinensis Osborn. This Chinese variety has a more open habit, larger, overlapping bracts, and leaves without tufts of brown hair in the vein axils.

Korea, Japan, C China.

Source: Spencer, R. (2002). Cornaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 3. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 2. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.