It is an evergreen tree or shrub with a weeping habit and grows to 10 m (33 ft) tall.

[2] It has grey-green to dark green leaves, and white flowers from December to February.

It has a divaricating small leaved habit while young until it gets to about 2 m (7 ft) high.

The adult leaves are narrow and coarsely toothed hence the common name of narrow-leaved lacebark.

[1] Hoheria is derived from the Maori vernacular name for this genus, houhere or hoihere.