Santan is an erect and smooth ornamental shrub, growing to a height of 2 to 3 meters. Leaves are stalkless or on very short stalks, oblong, 5 to 9 centimeters long, heart-shaped or rounded at the base and blunt-tipped. Flowers are many, pink or red, and borne in terminal, stalkless or shortly stalked, hairy cymes.