An evergreen shrub or small tree, growing to 5-10 m tall, rarely to 18 m tall, with a trunk up to 50 cm diameter. The leaves are dark green, leathery, shiny, 10-25 cm long and 4-8 cm broad, with a finely serrated margin. The small white flowers bud in early spring and appear in erect 10-20 cm racemes in summer. The fruits are small cherries 1-2 cm diameter, turning black as they ripen.

Antispasmodic, narcotic and sedative (fresh leaves)

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In the treatment of coughs, whooping cough, asthma, dyspepsia, indigestion, as a wash for eye infections (fresh leaves)

Overdoses can cause cyanide poisoning.