Vachellia sieberiana var. woodii showing bark and green pods

As the name indicates, the paperbark thorn has peeling, papery bark that flakes in irregular pieces from especially the medium sized branches. The bark appears corky and may be straw coloured, yellowish or pale grey in colour, depending on the rate of losing material from its surface. This young tree has a pale orange tint to the bark and none of the old tree greyness when flaking has diminished to allow the surface some aging. 

Young twigs, not yet having acquired the characteristic papery feature, are pale green and densely hairy. The spines found more on young and medium sized stems than the main trunk are long, straight and white. These thorns may become up to 9 cm long. The small stipules on both sides of the leaf petiole base are spinescent and curved.  

The wood of Vachellia sieberiana var. woodii is light and soft, easily destroyed by termites and borer beetles. Both the heartwood and sapwood are nearly white and have coarse textures. It is not used much in cabinet making and unsuitable for turning. Not every source agrees on the softness of the wood though. Simple utensils are made of the wood by rural people (Coates Palgrave, 2002; Van Wyk and Van Wyk, 1997; Grant, et al, undated).