A deciduous tree 20-30 m tall, with a uniform cracked trunk of a grayish crust and a diameter of 50-100 cm. The trunk is straight, sometimes grooved, with symmetrical branching, with a multilayered cup of irregular or conical shape.
The leaves are palm, opposite and without reservations, with five leaflets 10-35 cm long, including the petiole. Dark green on the ray and light green on the underside with tiny whitish scales.
The flowers are polychromatic with a bilabiate calyx and a tubular-infundibuliform corolla, hermaphrodites, 15-25 mm long, densely covered with scaly trichomes. Inflorescences are arranged in short clusters in the armpits of branches or at the ends of branches. During the months of February and April, it presents abundant and striking flowering, after the loss of leaves; it is a honey plant.
Capsule fruits are 25-35 cm long with two lateral openings, dark brown, smooth and with a persistent cup. When opened, it releases countless winged seeds - 240-300 seeds - thin, bright, white and almost transparent.
The fruits reach maturity in the period from April to May, are 30-40 cm long and open longitudinally, scattering numerous winged seeds. Reproduction is carried out through seeds; the plant requires a warm and humid climate, fertile soils and does not tolerate low temperatures.