The foliage of this very interesting plant is held in horizontal planes on vertical stems and the leaves can be up to one foot long. The leaflets are stiff, leathery, and a grayish or bluish green color above with an olive green underneath with spiny toothed edges.
 
The plants produces panicles of fragrant golden yellow flowers in mid winter or very early spring spring followed by grape-like cluster of blue black fruit. The fruit is actually more attractive than the flowers and is a source of food for wildlife. This shrub will perform best on a well drained acidic soil and is intolerant of poor drainage. It works well as a barrier shrub or specimen as it only grows 4-8 feet tall and and 4-5 feet wide.
 
Zone 7-8.