Hibiscadelphus distans, a member of the Malvaceae (mallow) family, is a shrub or small tree up to 5.5 me (18 ft) tall with smooth bark and a rounded crown. The green, heart-shaped leaves are 4 to 10 cm (1.5 to 4 in) long with numerous whitish hairs on the underside. The narrow, tubular, curved flowers are approximately 2.5 cm (1 in) long with persistent leaf-like structures below the flowers. The flowers are greenish yellow, turning maroon with age. The seed pods are woody capsules with five sections, each containing two seeds.