A small bushy tree with multiple brightly coloured stems. Unmissable along a woodland edge or hedgerow. Its small black berries are much loved by birds during winter months.

Native across all of Europe, except Finland. Widely distributed in England and Wales but less frequent in northern Britain and in Ireland.

Monoecious with numerous hermaphrodite flowers in a flat-topped inflorescence, growing from the tip of shoots. Insect-pollinated, forming panicles with multiple drupes (fruit) each with a single seed. Distributed by birds and small mammals. Readily suckers, propagating clonally.

Small (rarely to 10m), with straight, repeatedly forking branches. Bark grey, smooth. Twigs thin, green or red (especially in sun); buds scaleless, opposite. Foliage turns red-purple in autumn. Leaves elliptic-ovate, opposite, green sometimes blushed red, with veins curving towards the apex. Flowers in cymes at shoot tips, fragrant, yellow to creamy white, April-June. Fruit a purple-black globose drupe (7mm) 'berry', in clusters, August-October. Many cultivars exist, such as the colourful 'Midwinter Fire'. Purging Buckthorn differs: similar vein pattern but toothed margins.

Thrives in many soil types and conditions. Partially shade-tolerant, often found along edges of woodlands and hedgerows. Tendency to sucker can be problematic when planted next to fields and meadows as quickly spreads.

Fragrant flowers attract bees, hoverflies and other pollinating insects.

Generally healthy, notably resistant to honey fungus.

Its straight twigs were used as butchers’ skewers and in arrow-making. Thin and colourful, they are sometimes used in weaving. The berries are beloved by small birds but are emetic (induce vomiting) in humans.