Symplocos tinctoria’s common names are sweetleaf, horse-sugar, or yellowwood. It is a deciduous or evergreen shrub or tree recognized by a pith of twigs chambered, by foliage not notably aromatic when bruised, and leaves finely hairy beneath. Shrubs or trees can grow up to 17 m tall. Leaves are 7 – 15 cm long, the margin is entire, and occasionally, some teeth are on the apical half, with a sweet taste that might be faint in old leaves.

Flowers open before new leaves develop, fragrant, in clusters from axils of previous year’s leaves or from just above the leaf scars if the leaves have fallen; the petals are creamy yellow to yellow, with one pistil. Fruits are nearly cylindrical to ellipsoid drupes. Foliage is relished by browsing wildlife. It flowers March to May.

Source: Wikipedia.