This small slender tree has a smooth brownish trunk to 300 mm (1 ft) in diameter and spreading branches that form a rounded crown. It has a glossy dark green elliptical leaves and the small whitish cup-shaped flowers appear in a raceme from winter to summer.

Hardiness zones 10 to 12

Helicia australasica is a naturally found from northern Australia to Papua New Guinea growing in the understory of monsoon forests or rainforest and in coastal lowland or sandstone regions, commonly along water courses  from a sea level to an altitude of 1,150 m (3,772 ft). 

It prefers a semi-shaded to sunny protected position and it grows in deep well-drained organic rich moist to dry sandy to clay loam and is frost and drought tender.

Austral Oak is grown for its attractive scented flowers and its rounded crown. It is planted in the understory of rainforest settings or around water features and is used along garden borders for screening. It is also grown as a specimen in botanic collections or used in revegetation programs in subtropical regions. It is suitable for coastal and low mountain regions and establishes in 3-5 years and is long-lived. the ripe fruit is eaten by the local aborigines and the tree is not commonly cultivated and may be difficult to obtain requiring a specialist nursery. ID 3757

Helicia (hel-EE-kee-a)  australasica (aw-stra-LAY-see-kuh)

Proteaceae (pro-tee-AY-see-ee)
Protea Family