 Cultivated as an ornamental plant in villages and gardens, it has become naturalized in Hawaii, where it grows in dry habitats.In Fiji, where it is known as ""tombithi"" and in Christmas Island (Indian Ocean), the shrub grows also as a ruderal species along roadsides and disturbed areas from near sea level to about 100 m.

It grows as a shrub 60 –100 cm tall.The leaves are dark green on the upper surface and pale green on the lower surface.