Azanza garckeana is a small shrub or semi-deciduous tree, 3–10 m tall, with a roundish crown. The young branches have soft shaggy hairs, becoming smoother and grey to brown, as they age; the older branches and stems have rough, longitudinally cracked bark.

The leaves are simple with 3–5 lobes and 5–7 veins from the base, with a longitudinal slit on the midrib.

They have a smooth margin and are velvety and reddish in colour when they are young, whereas the older leaves have rough (star-shaped) hairs on the upper surface and softer hairs below.

Azanza garckeana flowers from December to May. The flowers, which are up to 60 mm in diameter, have crinkly, yellow (aging to orange-red) petals with a maroon patch at the base; the petals are hairy on the outside and overlap each other. The calyx of the flower is cup-like, with a fused epicalyx which falls off before the fruit develops. The stamens are fused into a tube, with a few, free filaments at the tip.

The fruits are present from February to September. These hard, hairy fruits are 20–50 mm in diameter and they have 5 lobes which split apart.

The seeds are hemispherical and woolly.

Azanza garckeana grows quickly in the first season and is slow growing thereafter, only growing up to 600 mm per year in warmer areas and up to 400 mm in areas with frost.