It is a tree, sometimes with buttress roots at the base of the trunk, relatively large lenticels, oblong to elliptic leaves, creamy-white flowers with five petals, and deep red to almost black fruit.

Elaeocarpus sericopetalus is a tree that typically grows to a height of 7–30 m (23–98 ft), sometimes with buttress roots and with relatively large lenticels.

The five petals are oblong, slightly longer than, but narrower than the sepals, sometimes with two or three notches on the end and there are about fifty stamens.

[3][4] Elaeocarpus sericopetalus was first formally described in 1878 by Ferdinand von Mueller in Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae from material collected by John Dallachy near Rockingham Bay.

[4] Hard quandong is listed as of "least concern" under the Queensland Government Nature Conservation Act 1992.