Evergreen to semi-deciduous shrub or small tree, 2–7 m, sometimes up to 15 m tall, with randomly sized stems of about 230 mm in diameter, with dark brown to greyish, rough bark and erect branches.

This tree can be planted in coastal gardens, as it can withstand the salty winds and spray from the sea and also does well in inland gardens, as it is drought and shade tolerant, and frost resistant.

Leaves simple, lanceolate and narrowing at both ends with pointed apex and sometimes rounded, 60–120 × 15–60 mm, glossy, dark green above and pale green below, leathery and thick and raised main vein, with entire leaf margins

lowers in dense clusters in leaf axils, white with shades of pink below; corolla tube slender, up to 20 mm long; petals 5–7 mm long. Flowering in spring to early summer