It is a species of erect shrub or small tree that is native to the south-west of Western Australia and is naturalised in some other Australian states.

Callistachys lanceolata is an erect evergreen tree or shrub that typically grows to a height of 1.5–7 m (4 ft 11 in – 23 ft 0 in) and has silky-hairy young stems.

[5] The plant has conspicuous and attractive inflorescence composed of racemes with yellow flowers.

It grows well in sandy soils in areas that are damp, particularly along watercourses, swamps and culverts.

[5] The genus Callistachys[8] and Callistachys lanceolata[9] were first formally described in 1805 by Étienne Pierre Ventenat in his book, Jardin de la Malmaison.