It is a tall, bushy shrub distinguished by the wart-like tubercles that cover the entire plant, its linear leaflets and small white, four-petalled flowers.

Flowering occurs during spring and summer and is followed by fruit which is a dry, light brown capsule containing dark, reddish seeds about 2 mm (0.08 in) which have an ant-attracting elaiosome.

[2][3][4]Zieria granulata was first formally described in 1863 by George Bentham in Flora Australiensis, following a description by Charles Moore which had not been validly published.

[1][5] The specific epithet (granulata) is derived from the Latin word granum meaning "grain".

The main threat to its survival is loss of habitat due to land clearing, quarrying, residential development and road construction.