Sturdy shrub to small tree with a broad, pyramidal crown that eventually becomes oval. In the wild to more than 10 m tall, but in culture no taller than approx. 8 m. Unlike S. pseudocamellia, the bark of S. rostrata does not flake off. The leaf emerges as reddish turning dark green in summer. In autumn it turns deep red. The single flowers appear in June. They are white with yellow stamens. The sepals are typically twisted, different from S. sinensis. The blossom is followed by the capsules that are initially red before lignifying. They are round with a long beak (rostrata - “beaked”). They burst open into five segments at the tip and contain four seeds per locule. Rare tree whose main ornamental value is created by the reddish young leaves, red fruits and excellent autumn colours. The floriferousness may vary.
Stewartia rostrata môže dorastať do výšky 8 (12) m v závislosti od podmienok stanovišťa a klímy.
Stewartia rostrata rastie priemerne rastúci a môže dorastať do výšky 8 (12) m v závislosti od podmienok stanovišťa a klímy.
Listy stromu Stewartia rostrata sa na jeseň sfarbia do červená."
Správny čas na výsadbu stromu je mimo vegetačné obdobie. V strednej Európe môže byť Stewartia rostrata so zemným balom vysadený od polovice novembra do konca apríla, avšak závisí to veľmi od klimatických podmienok a druhu stromu.