The plant is native to Russia, Northeast Asia and Japan. They are not self-fertile, so it is necessary to have at least two plants, which bear fruit in the second year. It is a deciduous shrub up to 2 m tall, blooms in March and the flowers are small, white and fragrant, and can withstand temperatures down to -7°C. They ripen in May, the fruits are blue with a waxy coating, oblong in shape, 2 cm long, and the flesh is red with seeds like kiwi. The taste varies from sour to slightly sweet or bitter.
They can be consumed as fresh fruit or in various pies and cakes, jam, fruit juices and yogurt. They are very medicinal due to their antioxidant properties and high concentration of vitamins C and D.
