Striking tree with a dense, round crown of 10 - 15 m. Forms root suckers so a single tree, when mature, can grow into what looks like a thicket. Young twigs are bright green and smooth. The twigs and branches remain green for several years. Old bark is brown-grey with deep, reticulate grooves. The glossy, green leaves are of variable shapes, from unlobed to 3-lobed. The underside is blue-green and slightly to very hairy. The branches as well as the leaves spread an aromatic, lemony fragrance when crushed. In autumn the leaf turns golden yellow to yellow-orange. The flowers appear just before the leaf emerges. Small greenish yellow flowers stand in racemose clusters. They are followed by glossy, dark-blue drupes on red stems. Grows on almost every moist to quite dry, well-drained soil. Despite the fact that it is a pioneer tree in its native habitat, S. albidum is difficult to transplant in culture.