The shape of the large-fruited bushwillow tree may be spreading in a contorted manner, several stems sometimes prominent in its irregular frame. The often rounded crown may be broad, but sparse. Trees of 4 or 5 m in height like the ones in picture are much more common than the really tall ones. The branches may be knobbly, the bark variably coloured pale or dark.

The specimens of Combretum zeyheri seen here have much green foliage still in midwinter, most of the surrounding tree species being bare already. These leaves will fall shortly, before the new ones sprout on the raasblaar, a deciduous tree (Carr, 1988; Coates Palgrave, 2002).