The leaves are 6–12 cm (2.4–4.7 in) long with prominently undulated margins and rich aniseed aroma when crushed.
Ringwood's natural distribution in the wild is restricted to the Nambucca and Bellinger Valleys in northeastern New South Wales.
Although previously known, it was first sold in the early 1990s as a bushfood spice, and in the mid 1990s cultivated in plantations to meet demand.
'Aniseed myrtle' is the name originally coined to specifically describe high quality selections of the trans-anethole chemotype (90%+) - generally recognized as safe for flavouring.
Research indicates that aniseed myrtle oil has antimicrobial activity, including on the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans.