Flower: Dioecious, male and female as pendulous catkins, appearing before the leaves.
Fruit: Cottony seeds, 1/4 inch long borne in a dehiscent capsule. Maturing over summer.
Twig: Stout, somewhat angled and yellowish. Buds are 3/4 inch long, covered with several brown, resinous scales. Has a bitter aspirin taste.
Bark: Smooth, gray to yellow-green when young. Later turning gray with thick ridges and deep furrows.
Form: A large tree with a clear bole and an open spreading crown resulting in a somewhat vase-shaped form.
