Eucalyptus alba is a tree which grows to a height of 5 to 18 m (16 to 59 ft) with a spreading crown 5 to 15 m (16 to 49 ft) wide. The trunk is often bent and has smooth pinkish red to white or cream-coloured powdery bark. The leaves on young plants are arranged alternately egg-shaped to more or less round 10–20 cm (3.9–7.9 in) long and 8–12 cm (3.1–4.7 in) wide. The adult leaves are egg-shaped to lance-shaped 5–12 cm (2.0–4.7 in) long and 5–8 cm (2.0–3.1 in) wide with both sides a similar shade of green. The flower buds are arranged in groups of seven on a peduncle 4–14 mm (0.2–0.6 in) long. The buds are oval to more or less spherical with an operculum 3–5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long and 4–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide similar in dimensiont to the floral cup. White flowers appear from summer to fall and are sometimes profuse. The fruit are cone-shaped to hemispherical 4–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and 5–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) wide. The related Eucalyptus bigalerita is similar in appearance but has larger leaves buds and seed pods and is found in alluvial flats.