| Bark/Stem Description | The bark, light grey when young, changes to a coarse grey outer bark with lengthwise furrowing. |
| Leaf Description | The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs, 10-30 cm long, pinnate with five to seven (rarely nine) leaflets, the leaflets 5-12 cm long and 3-5 cm broad, with a serrated margin. |
| Flower Description | The hermaphrodite flowers are borne in large corymbs 10-25 cm diameter in mid summer, the individual flowers white, 5-6 mm diameter, with five petals; they are pollinated by flies. |
| Fruit Description | The fruit is a dark purple to black berry 3-5 mm diameter, produced in drooping clusters in the late autumn; they are an important food for many fruit-eating birds, notably Blackcaps. |
