A medium to large sized conical shaped tree, It grows to around 6 to 25 m tall in warm temperate areas, in cold areas such as Tasmania it can grow as large as 40 metres. It is a slow growing tree. The leaves and bark have an interesting scent, similar to a musky nutmeg. The dark green leaves are attractively coloured, with silver-grey undersides, and the creamy-white flowers are also a lovely feature. It attracts insects, butterflies and birds and provides caterpillar food. It likes a moist shady spot and soils with good organic matter.

The wood is in demand for decorative woodwork.