Polygala fruticosa is a rounded shrub of the South African south and east coasts. It grows to 2 m, sometimes close to the high-water line. The leaves are opposite, heart-shaped, stalkless or sessile and fresh green to blue-green. They are hairless and have entire margins.

The plant regularly turns out masses of purple flowers in spring and early summer. The flowers have deeply two-lobed lateral petals. The seeds are enclosed in papery capsules visible on the plant during and after the flowering season (www.plantzafrica.com).