Variable shrub to about 2 m tall, sometimes prostrate. Leaves linear to almost round, to 2 cm long and 1 cm wide. Flower cluster more or less erect, terminal. Flowers red with yellow to white and green at the tip, occasionally yellow, pink or red throughout, hairy outside and bearded inside; winter to summer. Fruit hairy, without stripes or blotches.

Some of the variation in this species has been selected for horticulture from wild localities and listed under provenance names indicating geographic origin, such as 'Grampians', 'Mt Ida', 'Mt Slide', 'Pylong', 'St Arnaud', 'Tooberac' and 'Whroo'.

Used widely as container plants.

NSW, Vic.

Source: Spencer, R.; Molyneux, B.; Mathews, D. (2002). Proteaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 3. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 2. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.