Medium-sized tree that starts off with a narrow pyramidal crown, later growing to broad ovoid. Old specimens eventually develop a round crown. It is a slow grower with an extended main trunk and dense branches. The blackish-grey trunk remains smooth for a long time but is later grooved. Young twigs are greyish-brown to olive-brown, hairy at first but very quickly become bare. The leaves are lobed with 5 to 9 lobes on each side. On the upper side they are dark green and slightly glossy while the underside is white and felt-like: in the autumn they turn yellow to orange-yellow. Sometimes the autumn coloration fails to appear. The creamy white flowers give off a scent that is typical of the tree. After flowering the tree produces orange-red ovoid to round fruits in small umbels. They remain on the tree until October. S. intermedia is a wind-resistant tree that stands up well to dry conditions. Can be used in coastal regions. Resistant to fire blight.