[14] Eugenia uniflora is a large shrub or small tree with a conical form, growing slowly to 8 metres (26 ft) high.

When bruised, crushed, or cut, the leaves and branches have a spicy resinous fragrance, which can cause respiratory discomfort in susceptible individuals.

Flowers develop into ribbed fruits 2 to 4 centimetres (3⁄4 to 1+1⁄2 in) long, starting as green, then ranging through orange, scarlet, and maroon as they ripen.

Because fruit-eating birds distribute the seeds, they can become a weed in suitable tropical and sub-tropical habitats, displacing native flora.

[citation needed] The leaves are spread on some house floors in Brazil so that they exude a smell that repels flies when crushed underfoot.