A deciduous tree growing to 15-30 m tall. Bark is light to dark gray, developing squarish scaly fissures with age. Leaves are simple, 6-14 cm long, with a serrated margin. Flowers are small, white, and fragrant. Fruits are dark red, almost black cherries, about 0.33 in (0.8 cm) in diameter.

Antitussive, astringent, pectoral, sedative, stomachic and tonic (bark of the root, trunk and branches); expectorant and mild sedative (root bark and the aromatic inner bark); astringent (fruit)

King's American Dispensatory
Plants For A Future

Prunasin, benzaldehyde and tannin (bark)

The bark is indicated in the treatment of pleurisy, pneumonia, acute hepatitis, inflammatory and febrile diseases, hectic fever, cough, colliquative diarrhoea, some forms of irritative dyspepsia, whooping-cough, irritability of the nervous system, cardiac palpitation, anemia, chlorosis, or nervous diseases. The tea made from bark is used in the treatment of fevers, colds, sore throats, diarrhea etc. A decoction of the inner bark has been used in the treatment of laryngitis. The root bark has been used as a wash on old sores and ulcers. Externally, it has been found useful, in decoction, as a wash to ill-conditioned ulcers and acute ophthalmia. The fruit has been used in the treatment of dysentery.