The leaves are simple, alternate and toothed, and the stems do not have thorns. The leaves are very small in this species (2.5-5 cm long) and nearly as wide as long, at least some of them appearing nearly round. Each inflorescence typically has fewer than 10 flowers in a raceme. The other thornless Prunus species have larger leaves clearly longer than wide, and either larger inflorescences or the flowers are borne in umbels.

Prunus mahaleb is a cultivated alien species that rarely escapes. The only documented site in Wisconsin to date is in Brown County.