Leaves of this small tree have 4 leaflets, in pairs. The fragrant flowers are cream or pink colored, about 1 inch diameter on stalks. Seed pods are twisted with black seeds with bright red fruit-like attachments.
Blackbead flowers often appear around February and often last into the spring. These trees is native to Florida and found primarily in southeastern part of the state and the Florida Keys. Blackbead is the host plant for two butterfly species, the Cassius blue and the large orange sulphur.