A tree to possibly 30m. However, usually seen as a small tree from 3-6m high in drier, more open locations or as a tree from about 5-20m in higher rainfall locations such as coastal ranges.

Alphitonia excelsa occurs on many soil types and in many ecologies including various forms of dry rainforest and as an understory component of numerous eucalypt forest and woodland communities. The geologies and soils on which we observe it include metamorphics, volcanics, sandstone, granites, laterite, clays and deep coastal sands etc. A. excelsa is widespread and at times may be locally abundant. These features make it the subject of interest for all types of rehabilitation projects. The seed may be hard to germinate unless scarification is carried out.