Dont' let the name fool you! uis a widely adaptable tree, thriving in medium soils as well as wetter soils, growing tall or spreading wide depending on the conditions it's in. Juvenile trees often have dark, shaggy bark that lifts and curls like papery birch bark. This quality shifts to rough, ridged furrows in gray-brown bark on more mature individuals. The branches tend to be more smooth, and twigs feature raised, white, scar-like lenticels. Leaves are a leathery, dark green with fairly uniform size, shape, and lobing.

In early spring, male and female flowers bloom in tan-yellow and light green shades, allowing the tree to cross pollinate. Fertile female flowers produce acorns that emerge from gray, fringed caps. Fall brings earthy tones to the leaves, often showcasing a burnished amber colour, sometimes with small pops of burgundy.