Its simple leaves are shiny, deep green and slightly fleshy, about 5-7cm long with small rounded teeth.

The sepals and petals form unusual double star-shaped flowers, purple, mauve, pink or rarely white, 1.5-3cm across.

Grewia occidentalis occurs naturally across south-eastern Africa, where its range extends from Cape Town along the coast to Mozambique and inland to Zimbabwe.

[4] The native habitats of the plant are extremely varied, it is found in both the arid karoo of western South Africa and from the Highveld, and across the Afromontane forests of the Drakensberg range along the eastern coastline.

The root system is not aggressive and can therefore be planted near buildings and paving, and it is very good at attracting butterflies and birds to the garden.