A small to medium-sized tree, 6–15 m tall, with an upright habit, often multi-stemmed, with an oval to spreading crown. It is deciduous, completely losing its leaves in winter. The bark is rough and dark brown; old bark becomes scabrous and grey. The leaves are compound and bi-pinnate, with 1 pair of pinnae, 50–160 mm long, carrying 4–6 pairs of large leaflets, 25–100 × 13–50 mm, on each pinna. Leaflets are narrowly ovate with a rounded or slightly cordate base, tomentose on both surfaces when young, the upper surface becoming hairless and the lower surface remaining densely pubescent. Flowers are pale yellow, fragrant, in ball-like heads, about 15 mm in diameter, in spring to early summer (September to November). The flowerheads are on short, hairy stalks in the axils of the leaves. Pods are thick, woody, broad and flattened, 90–120 mm long, covered in velvety brown hairs when young, splitting from the tip downwards, in late summer to autumn. Seeds are flat, smooth and unwinged.