This tree, which grows to a height of from 15 to 20 feet, is a native of China, from which country it was probably introduced to these Islands. Its branches are usually prickly; the leaves, which are from 1 to 3 inches in length, are alternate, ovate to oblong, obtuse, and are dark green and glabrous above, and tawny and nearly white beneath. The flowers are axillary. The yellow fruit, which ripens in March, is about the size of a cherry. When eaten raw, it has a bitter flavor, but it makes an excellent preserve.