Virgilia oroboides is a small, evergreen tree with a sparse crown that is usually narrow but can be spreading, especially with age. It usually reaches a mature height of 5 – 15 metres. Although V. oroboides is fast-growing [ attaining up to 1.3 m in a year] it is also short-lived, however, its average lifespan ranges from 12 – 20 years. V.oroboides is divided into two subspecies;V. oroboides subsp. ferruginea and V. oroboides subsp. oroboides. V. oroboides subsp. ferruginea is rose-violet-flowered with rust-coloured hairs on the leaves, it is native to George. V. oroboides subsp. oroboides is pink flowered and occurs from the Cape Peninsula to Swellendam.

The Kuerboom is characterised with a bushy, rounded to broadly conical growth habit with branches growing close to the ground. Leaves are pinnate and leaflets are finely hairy beneath, oblong, obtuse to acute. The bark is coarsely reticulated or smooth. In mid to late summer, this tree produces pea-shaped flowers in dense terminal sprays about 100 mm long.

Virgilia oroboides is not very cold-hardy, it can only tolerate short periods of moderate frost, and young plants will be severely damaged or killed even by light frosts. A Keurboom is the perfect tree for small gardens. Due to its fast-growing habit, it quickly creates shade or a screen. It can be used as a pioneer species in establishing a woodland garden or reforesting degraded areas.