Evergreen shrub. Stems are commonly tufted with few branches, reaching 1-3 meters in height, smooth and hairless. Young branches are often red, turning gray with age. Leaves are alternate and clustered at the upper part of the stem, compound pinnate with three orders, 30-50 cm long; bipinnate or tripinnate leaflets are opposite; leaflets are thin leathery, elliptic or elliptic-lanceolate, 2-10 cm long, 0.5-2 cm wide, acuminate at the tip, cuneate at the base, entire, dark green above, turning red in winter, midrib prominent on both sides, hairless on both surfaces; nearly sessile.

The panicle is erect, measuring 20-35 cm in length; the flowers are small, white, and fragrant, with a diameter of 6-7 mm; the sepals are in multiple whorls, with the outer whorl sepals ovate-triangular, 1-2 mm long, gradually larger in the inner whorls, and the inner whorl sepals ovate-oblanceolate, 2-4 mm long; the petals are oblong, about 4.2 mm long and 2.5 mm wide, with an obtuse apex; there are 6 stamens, about 3.5 mm long, with short filaments, anthers longitudinally cleft, and the anther tube extending; the ovary has 1 chamber with 1-3 ovules. The fruit peduncle is 4-8 mm long; the berries are spherical, 5-8 mm in diameter, bright red when ripe, occasionally orange-red. The seeds are flat and round. Flowering period: March to June, fruiting period: May to November.