A small to medium-sized soft maple; often multistemmed and of poor form. It is a bottomland species present in all lower 48 states except WA, OR, and ME. Leaves are compound; generally with 3-7 variably shaped leaflets that may have distinct lobes and are coarsely serrate. Twigs are stout, becoming purple-green, often with glaucous bloom. Buds are ovoid with bluish-white tomentose scales. Fruit is dioecious, V-shaped with slightly divergent wings and matures in the fall. The bark is similar to A. platinoides.