Evergreen shrub to over 1 m tall with hairless branches. Leaves alternate, oblongelliptic, sometimes crowded together, 5-8 cm long, 1.5-2.5 cm wide, blunt, hairless. Flower clusters in dense heads with 6-10 lanceolate bracts, purplish at first, white to purple, strongly fragrant; spring. Fruit red, fleshy.
f. alba (Hemsl.) Hara has flowers pure white.
China, Japan.
Source: (2002). Thymeleaceae. In: . 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.
Leaves bordered irregularly with yellow. Flowers reddish purple with pale centres. ['Marginata', 'Variegata']