- Tree with edible fruit.
- Grows up to 15 m high.
- Boasts dark brown and red or greenish-grey bark.
- Develops egg-shaped, extremely changeable, undivided or differently serrated leaves which grow up to 18 cm in length, are soft and delicate, slightly shiny on top and matt at the bottom, almost naked or covered in hairs on greater veins.
- Displays inconspicuous, dioecious flowers which grow on the same (monoecious) tree; male flowers gathered in light yellow pussies, female ones globe-shaped and erected, with 1 pistil – hardly ornamental; flowers in may.
- Its fruit belongs to edible achenes, similar to blackberries, it is white or pinkish in colour, approximately 2 cm in length, extremely sweet and slightly bland; ripens at the end of July and quickly drops off .
- Tolerant of all types of soil.
- Its leaves used to be collected as domesticated silkworm larvae feed, they also possess some therapeutic properties and are recommended in treating diabetes and losing weight.
- Not totally frost hardy; during cold waves the tops of its shoots can get damaged; however, in spring they regenerate quickly.
