Description
This evergreen shrub or small tree can reach a height of 3–5 m. It is spineless and grows well on sandy dune soils and is therefore useful for coastal gardens. It can be pruned to make an effective and attractive hedge or screen, an ideal windbreak and can be successfully used as a bonsai. The flowers are insignificant, white to almost cream and appear in small clusters at the tip of branches during autumn. The fruits are small round red-brown to pale black berries and are popular with birds. It is the larval host for the Macken’s Dart, Burnished Opal, Mooi River Opal, Namaqua Arrowhead and the Pringle’s Arrowhead butterflies. butterflies. The name is derived fro the Greek rhous, = red; referring to the fruits or the autumn leaves.