It has a restricted distribution on poor, rocky soils near Sydney.Eucalyptus luehmanniana is a mallee that typically grows to a height of 6–7 m (20–23 ft) and forms a lignotuber.

The flower buds are arranged in leaf axils in groups of between seven and eleven or more on a flattened, unbranched peduncle 15–25 mm (0.59–0.98 in) long, the individual buds on pedicels 3–11 mm (0.12–0.43 in) long.

[5] Eucalyptus luehmanniana was first formally described in 1878 by Ferdinand von Mueller in Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae.

The type specimen was collected in sandy rocky ground by William Kirton, "eight miles north of Bulli at an elevation of 2000 feet".The specific epithet honours Johann George Luehmann, who was Mueller's assistant in the Melbourne Herbarium.

[2] The fruit of this eucalypt was depicted on the original five dollar note, beside a drawing of Joseph Banks.