A shrub. It grows 2 m high. The branches are strongly divided. They have long straight thorns. The bark on young branches is shiny red-brown. It later has a rough surface and is whitish-grey. The leaves are small and leathery. They are sword shaped. The flowers are pink and do not have stalks. They appear before the leaves. The fruit is fleshy with a stone inside. The fruit is green but turns pale yellow with a pink or bluish covering. The stone is 1.5-2 cm long and 1-1.5 cm wide.
In Kazakhstan it grows between 400-1,500 m above sea level. It grows on open warm slopes and on bare rocks. It can endure heat, drought and frost when dormant. It can grow in dry climates.
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