From afar, this tree is easily recognized by its large silvery, branching trunk. Branches are often twisted. Height is seventy to one hundred feet. The dense canopy has a width of forty to seventy feet. Bark is soft-textured and bears a mottled pattern of dark and light.
Leaves are star-shaped.
Outer arms of the leaf are shorter than middle arms. Leaf length varies from four to nine inches. Leaf color is green in spring and summer. Seasonal changes cause leaves to turn brown and drop off in autumn. Distinctive seedpods appear by winter.