Pelargonium exhibens is a sparsely branched, climbing, evergreen subshrub, growing up to 300 mm in its natural habitat. Stems are herbaceous, smooth, turning brown with age and appear silky under a microscope. Leaves are semi-succulent, trilobed, bright green, hairy to the naked eye; however, they are sparsely silky under the microscope. Leaflets 40–60 × 45–55 mm. Leaf stalks can be up to 100 mm long, sparsely silky, deciduous with soft triangular stipules that die back with the stalks or slightly earlier.

Pelargonium exhibens flowers from spring to autumn (September to May). The iInflorescence consists of 3–5 flowers with triangular bracts 3–5 × 1.5–2.0 mm growing from unbranched stalks, giving rise to 5 unequal petals, the upper two larger than the lower three, white to cream with deep red markings on the upper petals. The male reproductive parts (stamens) are completely exposed. Upon drying, the fruit splits open releasing 5 seeds, 6.0–7.5 mm long, with feathery tails up to 40 mm long.

Pelargonium exhibens is morphologically similar to Pelargonium trifidum in terms of habit and leaf blade shape. P. exhibens can be easily separated by its exposed reproductive parts and broad leaves with narrowly tapered base. The leaves of Pelargonium exhibens are bright green and less fragrant compared to those of P. trifidum which are dull bluish green and release a strong scent when touched.