The flowers are star-shaped, 3–5 cm (1.2–2.0 in) diameter, with 4-7 white petals, 8-15 stamens and a green stigma; they are produced throughout the late spring and summer.

[4] Choisya species are popular ornamental plants in areas with mild winters, grown primarily for their abundant and fragrant flowers.

[citation needed] The following cultivars have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit:- Many quinoline alkaloids have been isolated from leaves of Choisya ternata.

[9] C. ternata contains an alkaloid (ternanthranin), a volatile simple anthranilate that can be considered responsible for the antinociceptive activity of the crude plant extracts.

In north-west Europe the main pest is snails, which eat the bark of even mature specimens, resulting in minor die-back of branches where ring-barking has occurred.