It is an erect to diffuse shrub with elliptic to egg-shaped leaves with a sharp-pointed tip and with white, pink or red flowers arranged along the ends of leafy branchlets.

Epacris calvertiana is an erect to diffuse shrub that usually grows to a height of 0.2–1.0 m (0.7–3 ft) and has woolly-hairy branchlets.

[2] Epacris calvertiana was first formally described in 1873 by Ferdinand von Mueller and the description was published in the journal, Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae.

[4] Two varieties are accepted by the Australian Plant Census: Drumstick heath mainly occurs along the coast and tablelands of New South Wales from Pigeon House Mountain to the Comboyne Plateau and inland as far as Berrima.

It grows on cliffs and in rocky places in forest, including rainforest, from sea level to an altitude of 1,000 m (3,300 ft).