The ginger bush grows fast and branches much. The brittle stems are green, pale grey or brown bark that peels with age. Young stems are furry and four-angled.

The flowers of Tetradenia riparia are tiny and densely clustered along the spikes. Male and female flowers grow on sdifferent plants. Flower colour varies between pink, mauve and white. The tiny fruit (growing on the female plants) is a small, oblong nutlet (Schmidt, et al, 2002; Coates Palgrave, 2002; Pooley, 1998).