Das Gemeine Immergrün ist ein kleiner Halbstrauch, dessen nicht blühende Sprossen niederliegend, die blühenden aufrecht sind und bis zu 20 cm hoch werden. Die immergrünen, ledrigen Blätter glänzen an der Oberseite, die langgestielten Blüten können hellblau bis rotviolett, selten weiß oder rosa gefärbt sein.
Das ganze Jahr über bedecken die ledrigen, glänzenden Blätter den Boden und bringen selbst im Winter grüne Farbe in Gärten oder Wälder. It is a trailing subshrub, spreading along the ground and rooting along the stems to form large clonal colonies and occasionally scrambling up to 40 cm high but never twining or climbing. The leaves are evergreen, opposite, 2-4.5 cm long and 1-2.5 cm broad, glossy dark green with a leathery texture and an entire margin. The flowers are solitary in the leaf axils and are produced mainly from early spring to mid summer but with a few flowers still produced into the autumn; they are violet-purple, 2-3 cm diameter, with a five-lobed corolla. The fruit is a pair of follicles 2.5 cm long, containing numerous seeds. The species is commonly grown as a groundcover in temperate gardens for its evergreen foliage, spring and summer flowers, ease of culture, and dense habit that smothers most weeds.
