Trees to 15 m tall, rarely to 30 m tall, sometimes armed. Branchlets grayish brown or dark brownish red when old, glabrous or slightly pubescent when young; buds ovoid, apex obtuse, glabrous or subglabrous. Stipules caducous, linear-lanceolate, ca. 1 cm, membranous, slightly pubescent, margin sparsely glandular denticulate, apex acuminate; petiole 1.5–5 cm, slender, slightly pubescent when young, soon glabrescent; leaf blade ovate or subrounded to elliptic, 2–5(–7) × 1.5–2.5 cm; pubescent when young, soon only abaxially pubescent along midvein, base broadly cuneate to subrounded, margin obtusely serrate, rarely entire, apex acute or shortly acuminate. Raceme umbel-like, 6–9-flowered, peduncle pubescent or subglabrous, bracts caducous, linear-lanceolate, 1–1.5 cm, membranous, brown pubescent, margin sparsely glandular serrate, apex acute or acuminate. Pedicel 2–3.5 cm, pubescent or subglabrous. Flowers 2.5–3 cm in diam. Hypanthium campanulate, abaxially pubescent. Sepals triangular-lanceolate, 5–9 mm, both surfaces pubescent, margin sparsely glandular denticulate when young, apex acuminate. Petals white, obovate, 1.3–1.5 × 1–1.3 cm, base shortly clawed. Stamens ca. 20, ca. 1/2 as long as petals. Ovary 5-loculed, with 2 ovules per locule; styles 5, nearly as long as stamens, pubescent basally. Pome obovoid or subglobose, 3–5 × 1.5–2 cm, 5-loculed, green or yellow, rarely reddish, dotted; fruiting pedicel 2–3.5 cm, subglabrous; sepals persistent. Fl. Apr, fr. Jul–Sep. 2n = 34*.

This variety includes many important cultivated forms with excellent fruit.

Commonly cultivated in N, NE, and SW China [Bhutan, Russia, Sikkim, Vietnam; SW Asia, Europe].