Appearing as an ordinary tree at first glance, a jubokko preys upon humans that wander too close to it. The tree uses its branches to trap the prey, tearing their flesh to bleed them. It then uses its special tube-like branches to suck the blood. Once the prey is drained, the tree scatters the remains in its vicinity, where they undergo decomposition.
Careful individuals may discern the unnatural presence of flies buzzing around the tree roots or scattered bones on the ground beneath a Jubokko. However, if one is close enough to see these signs, it might be too late to escape. The jubokko is said to be able to capture prey from a distance, using its wide network of moving roots.
In Japanese folklore, jubokko are said to be once ordinary trees that transformed into yokai due to the exposure of large amounts of human blood in the surrounding soil. These trees are found in areas where large-scale bloodshed occurred, such as battlefields and places where massacres and atrocities were committed. As the trees collected negative energy from the victims that perished in their vicinity and drew nourishment from blood-soaked ground, they turned into jubokko.