A medium to large tree in swamps of the southeastern coastal plains and lower Mississippi valley. It is an important timber species, often with a buttressed base. Leaves can be up to 8"; entire to remotely toothed, lustrous, and oblong-obvate. Twigs are stout with small, yellowish, globose, imbricate buds. Fruit is a cluster of reddish-purple 1" drupes with a prominently ribbed pit. Bark is thin and gray with scaly ridges.