It is a small bushy riverside tree from the Amazon rainforest in Peru and Brazil, which grows to a height of 3–5 metres (10–15 feet) and bears a red/purple cherry-like fruit.

As much as 2 to 3% of the fresh fruit by weight is vitamin C. Camu-camu has small flowers with waxy white petals and a sweet-smelling aroma.

[citation needed] The camu-camu fruit is maroon or purple-black when fully ripe, around 25 mm in diameter, with either sweet or acidic flesh.

The tree occurs in locally dense populations or even monospecific stands in Amazonian flood plains and riparian vegetation.

In cultivation, the tree begins bearing fruits after attaining 2 cm (0.79 in) in stem girth (three years after emergence of the seedling).

[8] The fruit is rich in flavonoids, such as anthocyanins, flavonols, flavanols, catechins, delphinidin 3-glucoside, cyanidin 3-glucoside, ellagic acid, and rutin.

Other analysis revealed the presence of gallic and ellagic acids, suggesting that the fruit possesses hydrolyzed tannins (gallotannin and ellagitannins).

[citation needed] Native Amazonian groups living on the banks of the Nanay River in the Loreto region of Peru, have been reported as using camu-camu as a traditional remedy for the treatment of malaria.