A spreading shrub up to 2 metres tall. The leaves are evergreen, simple, lanceolate to elliptical, toothed, the teeth tipped with short spines. The leaves and flowers are borne on short shoots in the axils of 3-parted spines. The inflorescence is a fascicle of 2 to 15 yellow flowers. The berries are glaucous (waxy), dark blue-black and rather oblong.

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Popular for hedging and widely planted in parks and gardens. It is naturalised on walls, in hedges and on river banks.

In flower in June, the fruits ripen from September to October.Evergreen

Evergreen.

It was first recorded in the wild in 1984 (Surrey), and is becoming more frequent.

Rarely recorded in Leicestershire and Rutland.