A common African shrub, extending to South Africa; locally common in dry rocky bushland, at forest margins and often near water. In Uganda, it is abundant on Mt. Elgon around homesteads. It is also cultivated for medicinal purposes. It grows easily in light, well drained and well composted soil. In Kampala, Ginger bush can be found within Mulago hospital premises, Kitante courts among other places.

Ginger bush is an erect semi-succulent, strongly aromatic bush or small tree to 3 m with occasional specimens reaching 5 meters. Stems often knobbly with leaf scars and densely hairy. The leaves have an unpleasant smell.

BARK: light grey-brown, smooth but peeling with age.

LEAVES: opposite and simple, wide ovate to 9 cm, very soft due to dense, short green hairs both sides, veins clear below, often sticky, the edge coarsely round-toothed, base rounded to a stalk about 2 cm.

FLOWERS: very tiny, mauve-pink-white, quite attractive, in large dense, much-branched heads to 30 cm long. Flowers grow on spikes, male and female on different plants.

 FRUIT: a very small nutlet.

Medicine: leaves, young stems, and roots. http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php id=Tetradenia+riparia

An ornamental .

Agroforestry: used as a live fence, for soil conservation.