Buckinghamia celsissima is a tall shrub or medium tree with rough, brown, scaly bark. Young shoots are covered with grey hairs and new growth is pink or red. Leaves are light green, shiny above with silvery hairs beneath. They are from 7 to 20 centimetres long and vary in shape from entire to deeply lobed. Flowers are small, creamy-white and sweetly fragrant. They are carried in large, eye-catching spikes that contain hundreds of flowers. The spikes are extremely showy (see image). Flowering occurs from December to April. The blooms attract honeyeaters. Buckinghamia celsissima is a native of north eastern Queensland where the species grows in rainforest at higher altitudes. In nature plants may reach 25 metres in height. In gardens, because they do not have to strive for the light, plants are usually less than 8 metres high with branches reaching to the ground. The Ivory Curl Tree is cultivated in warm and temperate gardens. It is said that the species grows successfully in Melbourne. “Ivory Curl” is not happy in frosty areas and does not like the humidity and heavy rain of the northern, coastal tropics. Propagate from cuttings.