This tree is similar to Olearia albida except for leaves which have more waves around the margins and also the base of the leaf in flatter. This evergreen shrub is found on coastal cliffs and coastal forests from Spirits Bay to Taranaki. Its leaves are up to 7cm long and have a white tomentum underneath.

In the wild, this is a threatened species with the status “naturally uncommon”. Flowering occurs mid-summer to late autumn. The flowers develop into seed heads with hair parachutes on the seeds for wind dispersal. This tree is now widely cultivated.