The Natal plum is a common and often conspicuous species in coastal bush and sand dunes. It is a fast-growing, ornamental shrub that is wind resistant and can grow in coastal areas.

It usually forms a dense thorny shrub but it can grow into a small tree up to 4 m high.

C. macrocarpa deals well with salt-laden winds, making it a good choice for coastal areas.

Leaves are leathery, a shiny dark green above and paler below, 20-60 x 15-35 mm, egg-shaped, oval or almost round. The tips of the leaves are sharply or bluntly pointed and usually with a mucro, a thorn-like point.

Pruning the plant is beneficial because it induces the development of more fruiting tips. Beyond cutting, little pruning work has to be done to restrain the bush from massive growth. This results in an increasing amount of fruits per plant.

Night-flying insects pollinate the white, bisexual flowers