[3] It has been used as a medicinal plant in certain parts of the world,[4] but has been declared a noxious weed in the United States.

[13][14] Australian populations which occur as weeds, having different flowers, for example in Warraroon Reserve, Lane Cove, Sydney, further south than the natural distribution of M. affine, are introduced plants of this M. malabathricum L.

[15] M. malabathricum grows wild on a wide range of soils, from sea-level up to an altitude of 3000 meters.

The plant is branched, and has reddish stems that are covered with bristly scales and minute hairs.

[16] Its fruit is a berry, which when ripe breaks irregularly to expose its soft, dark blue pulp and orange seeds.