The plant is native to Lesotho and South Africa and occurs in Mpumalanga on the escarpment of the Wakkerstroom, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape (as far as Somerset East), and the Klein Swartberg.

The shrub is large, erect and grows up to 5 m. It flowers mainly from January to March.

The plant dies after a fire but the seeds survive.

The seeds are stored in a shell and released after they are ripe and are dispersed by the wind.

The plant grows on mountainous acid veld and fynbos at altitudes of 1,200 - 2,300 m. In Afrikaans it is known as the lippeblomsuikerbos.