It has pinnate leaves and white to pink flowers that are arranged singly or in groups of up to seven, in the leaf axils or on the ends of the branches.Boronia citriodora is a woody shrub that is sometimes prostrate, otherwise erect and growing to a height of 3 m (9.8 ft).

The flowers are white to pink and are arranged singly or in groups of up to seven in leaf axils or on the ends of branches on a stalk 1–8 mm (0.039–0.31 in) long.

Hooker noted that the plant has a "strong and delicious smell of lemons" and that the species was called the 'lemon-plant' by early Tasmanian colonists.

[5][7] In 2003, Marco Duretto described three subspecies:[5] Lemon-scented boronia grows in heath, woodland and near rainforest, often in rocky places.

It tolerates sun, shade, wind, heavy frost; and dry, sandy or waterlogged soils.