Angophora costata is a common woodland and forest tree of Eastern Australia, and is known by a variety of names including smooth-barked apple, rose gum, rose apple and Sydney red gum. It grows primarily on sandstone soils, usually on headlands, plateaus or other elevated areas. A. costata differs from the majority of 'gum trees' in that it is not a true Eucalyptus, but rather a closely related genus. Angophora costata grows into a large, wide and spreading tree, usually of a height between 15m and 25m, although it is often stunted or mallee-like. It is characterised by a distinctive orange or pink hue to trunk when bark has been newly shed. The colour fades with time and is a more subdued greyish hue in winter. The trunk is often gnarled and crooked with a pink to pale grey, sometimes rusty-stained bark.