An upright shrub or small tree to 5 m high with a compact, rounded head and flowers freely each year on the well-ripened wood. The rounded pin-cushion flower heads are soft cardinal or cherry red, with projecting long styles, white to pale pink on aging. They are lightly perfumed and attractive to bees and nectar feeding birds and insects. Grows in a range of environments but prefers drier soils and good sunlight.