Plumbago zeylanica is an evergreen shrub that reaches about 2 meters in nature and about 1 meter under cultivation. It has dark green leaves that are ovate to 30 cm long by half as wide. They are fast growing plants, but their size is easily controlled by pot size and pruning. The white flowers are faintly scented and showy in dense racemes and will flower all year long. Individual flowers are up to 1.2 cm across. Plumbago flowers are acrid and stimulate sweating. It also promotes appetite and helps with digestion. It is used for dyspepsia, piles, and skin diseases. Roots have been used as abortifacient in some indigenous practices, internally or as an irritant to the uterus. The powdered root is occasionally taken as a snuff to relieve headache.