This dense, upright shrub grows 8 to 12 feet with a width equal to its spread. It suckers to form colonies, so plant it in an area with lots of space. The flowers are not considered ornamental, and both male and female plants are required for fruit production. The waxy grayish-white fruits mature in the fall and persist throughout the winter. Fall color is minimal; the large, glossy leaves, which have a sweet-spicy fragrance when crushed, persist late into fall before turning brown. The bayberry is prized for its wonderful fruits, which are used to make bayberry-scented candles or potpourri. It is indeed a shrub with a scent.