Plants in this genus are perennial or annual herbs with simple leaves and blue to purple bell-shaped flowers, usually with five petals lobes.

Species of Wahlenbergia are native to environments on all continents except North America, and on some isolated islands, but the greatest diversity occurs in the Southern Hemisphere.

Plants in the genus Wahlenbergia are annual or perennial herbs, rarely shrubs, and sometimes have rhizomes.

The petals are blue to purple and are joined at their base to form a bell-shaped or funnel-shaped tube with five lobes.

[8] The genus is widespread and species of Wahlenbergia are native to all continents except North America.