It has papery, oblong leaves and pendulous green flowers arranged singly on the ends of short side branches.

The corolla is green ageing to mauve, pendulous, narrow cylindrical, up to 30 mm (1.2 in) long and densely covered with star-shaped hairs.

[6][7] Two varieties of C. calycina are accepted by the Australian Plant Census: The South Australian green correa occurs in a few isolated places on the southern Fleurieu Peninsula and on Kangaroo Island in South Australia where it usually grows on or near the banks of streams.

Variety calycina occurs on the Fleurieu Peninsula near the Hindmarsh and Inman Rivers and Carrickalinga Creek.

[3] Variety halmaturorum is only known from along the De Mole River on Kangaroo Island, growing in Eucalyptus cladocalyx forest.