A large tree of wet areas, especially common along streams and rivers. The leaves are large and palmately lobed.

The petiole bases are unusual - they completely enclose the bud.

The large, toothed, leaf-like stipules can persist into the fall.

Chapel Hill, NC 9/23/03.

Ripening fruit.

Grayson Co., VA 5/30/2009.

The ball-shaped fruit clusters contain thousands of tiny winged seeds (achenes).

Chatham Co., NC 3/17/06.

Young tree.

Jordan Lake, Chatham Co., NC 1/4/09

The bark is very distinctive, peeling off in large flakes to reveal a mottled pattern of white and green-gray.

Greenville, NC 11/6/05.

The higher branches are nearly white; the lower down on the tree, the more dark bark flakes.

Near the base of a medium-sized tree.

Greenville, NC 11/6/05.

Durham Co., NC 4/11/09.