Zieria arborescens is a robust shrub or small tree which grows to a height of 5–10 m (20–30 ft).

[2][3][4][5] Zieria arborescens was first formally described in 1811 by English taxonomist John Sims and the description was published in Botanical Magazine.

[8] In 2002, James Armstrong described three subspecies in Australian Systematic Botany, and the names are accepted by the Australian Plant Census: Tree zieria occurs in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania, growing in wet forest and at the margins of rainforest.

Subspecies glabrifolia only occurs on the New England Tablelands between the Girraween National Park in Queensland and Torrington in New South Wales.

decurrens is only recorded from near Jervis Bay where it grows in drier eucalyptus areas and features ridged non-warty branches and more hairs on the young branchlets.