Youngest twigs gray or brownish. Terminal buds blunt and rounded. Twigs often with a gray or bluish powder. Bark medium brown and tight . Tree often with poor form.
Terminal buds reddish and blunt .
Female flower buds, if present, occur in clusters. Bark is smooth and gray on young trees, becoming flaky or shaggy on large trees. Terminal buds blunt and rather brownish. Twigs smell somewhat bad when crushed. Bark smooth and gray on young trees, becoming loose and peeling upward.