Shrub, 1-4 m high.  Leaves 15cm x 10cm, spiraling around the stem,ovate, acute to acuminate at the tip, marginsserrate; flowers solitary, born on long stalks, in the axils of the upper leaves, epicalyx of 5-7 bractioles about 1 cm long, calyx cup-shaped 2.5cm long, corolla short-lived, showy, mainly red, but other varieties range frompurplish-red, yellow or orangeto white,variable in size,from 6-10cm,staminal tube longer than petals; capsules, rarely produced are oblong ca. 3 cm long, seeds globose ca.3 mm in diameter.