Idesia has only one species. It is native to eastern Asia in China, Japan and Korea. It is a medium-sized deciduous tree reaching a height of 8 to 21 m, with a trunk up to 50 cm diameter with smooth greyish-green bark. The shoots are greyish-brown, stout, with a thick pith core. The leaves are large, heart-shaped, with a red petiole bearing two or more glands; the leaves are dark green above, glaucous below, and have a coarsely serrated margin. The flowers are small, yellowish green, fragrant, and born in panicles. The fruit is a berry, ripening orange to dark purple-red, containing several brown seeds, and often persisting until the following spring.