Gliricidia sepium is not synonymous with G. maculata , a closely related but much less useful species. It may be either a single or multiple stem tree with trunk diameters reaching 30 cm. The bark is grayish-brown to whitish and may be deeply furrowed on old, large diameter trees. Leaves are pinnately compound, alternate in arrangement and 20 to 30 cm in length.
Leaflets are generally opposite in arrangement, oblong in shape and pointed at the tip.
On some specimens leaflets may be elliptical with rounded tips. There are 7 to 25 leaflets per leaf and size increases towards the tip. Flower development corresponds to the beginning of the dry season when trees have lost their leaves. In its native range flowering occurs November through March. Xylocopa fimbriata and Centris species in the tree s native range.