Growing to 6 m (20 ft) tall and wide, it is a rounded evergreen shrub with glossy, leathery leaves.

Its fragrant flowers are cream-yellow or white, followed on female plants by small, round, red fruits.

The plant tolerates a wide range of conditions, including frost, drought, and atmospheric pollution.

Many cultivars have been developed for ornamental garden use, including varieties which are significantly more compact than their parents.

These cultivars have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit:-[3]