It has a twisting trunk with smooth dark bark, spreading branches and pinnate leaves.

[3] Alectryon excelsus produces small purple flowers in spring and the seeds take up to a year to mature.

[3] The colourful seed is initially contained in a hairy woody capsule which splits revealing bright red and black unpalatable fruit (the black portion being the seed).

[3] The location characteristics best suited for this tree are: ‘fertile, well-drained soils along riverbanks and associated terraces'.

[5] The ovary develops into a hairy and dense capsule with rusty, brown hair.

In about one year, the capsule will mature and divide the red flesh tissue that surrounds one large seed.

[7][1] The production of oil is very traditional by crushing the tītoki seeds which are later added to a tourniquet-style hemp bag or an elongated woven basket called ngehingehi (akin to a Brazilian tipiti) that Māori will extract with to release a greenish oil.

This product has been distilled and exported to Australia, Fiji, Japan, and the United Kingdom.