Common small bushy shrub with very wide-angled branches bearing clusters of small paired leaves, one of the pairs usually smaller narrow and brown the other obviously wider at the midpoint of the leaf and with a pale blotch at the base of the leaf. Twigs fuzzy. Fruit small, dark red.

Coprosma rhamnoides has stiff interlaced reddish-brown barked branches and branchlets. Branchlets have fine hairs on them
The leaves can be variously shaped from narrow to almost round, typically on the same bush but occasionally some plants have all the same shaped leaves.
In October the plants develop small pale cream flowers which are dioecious (sexes separate). These flowers are wind pollinated. Drupes appear on the female plant in March-April small (3-4mm) red berries, turning dark red or black as they ripen.