Olearia paniculata is a hardy rounded small coastal tree daisy with a maximum height of 6 metres. Found growing in mature forests, regenerating forest and forest margins usually in the east from the East Cape to Golden Bay and Canterbury. It is not native to Taranaki but is now grown widely grown as a hedge plant.

It has stringy bark. It has bright green crinkly oval leaves 30 - 100 mm long by 20 - 40 mm wide. They are leathery with thin white to buff coloured tomentum (matted soft hairs) on the under surfaces. The margins can be flat or strongly wavy. It produces clusters of sweet-smelling flowers each autumn.