Deciduous shrub, compact, multi-stemmed, rounded, slow-growing, 4 ft (1.2 m) tall and 3 ft (0.9 m) wide, branches glabrous, stipules spiny, short. Leaves alternate, pinnately compound, 4 leaflets, linear-oblanceolate, 8-15 mm long, tip spiny pointed, bluish-green, turn bright yellow in fall. Flowers pea-like, small, yellow. Fruit pod-like, about 2-3 cm long.