Seen from the top, the Erica halicacaba branch tips display six vertical arrays of leaves. The leaves grow in threes at each level up the stem, the six arrays formed by alternating positions in consecutive groups of three, all growing densely together and soon dropping off from lower stems.

Leaves become from 8 mm to 14 mm long. The hairless, round-backed leaves are linear in shape, ascending or spreading and sometimes recurving (Baker and Oliver, 1967; iNaturalist; http://pza.sanbi.org).