Deciduous shrub or small tree up to 8 m high when mature, with numerous spiny branches mainly on lower vegetative shoots; trunk short; secondary branches ± erect. Lf petiole 6-12-(20) mm long, glabrous; blade thin, narrowly obovate to elliptic or broadly elliptic, (30)-40-80 × (13)-15-45 mm, usually green, sometimes purple or bronzy purple, ± shining, subacute to apiculate, cuneate at base, glabrous above, glabrous below but lower ⅓ of midrib sometimes densely pilose (lamina of young lvs sometimes ± pilose below), serrulate with teeth blunt or with a short cusp; stipules short, triangular, deciduous. Fls solitary although usually closely spaced, or in clusters of 2-(4) on short shoots, not fragrant, pendent or spreading; pedicels 5-14-(25) mm long, glabrous. Hypanthium broad; sepals oblong, 1.5-3 mm long, obtuse, glabrous except on inner face, becoming reflexed, mostly green but sometimes purplish, with marginal stalked glands. Petals usually 5, spreading, orbicular, 6-11 mm diam., rounded and undulate, white or occasionally pink. Stamens slightly < or = petals; filaments pale. Fr. (10)-15-30 mm long, usually subglobose or ± broadly ovoid, sometimes globose, somewhat sulcate, glabrous, yellow to orange-red or scarlet, sometimes dark crimson, slightly pruinose, sweet; stone smooth.
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A deciduous tree. It grows to 7.5 m high. The crown is spreading and open. The twigs are thorny. The bark is purple-brown and thinly scaly. It has orange lenticels across it. The leaves are alternate and glossy green. They are oval and 6 cm long by 3 cm wide. There are small regular rounded teeth on the edge of the leaf. The flowers are small and white. They appear before the leaves. They are 2.5 cm across. There are 5 petals and sepals which curve back. The flowers occur singly or in small clusters. The fruit are green but turn red. They are 3 cm across. They are edible. There are several named cultivated varieties.
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