Rough Avens is a perennial herb, growing up to 1 m tall, with hairy stems. The lowest leaves are 3- parted, on long petioles, with the terminal segment usually much larger than the other two. The upper leaves become smaller and on shorter petioles the higher up the stem they are, the uppermost being simple and nearly sessile. The flowers have 5 tiny(2-4 mm) cream-colored, minutely hairy petals only 1/2 to 2/3 as long as the green sepals. The fruit are achenes, on an egg-shaped, densely hairy head (receptacle), and are dispersed by hooks on the ends of the long, persistent styles.

Rough avens is best identified when in flower.

Geum canadense has pure white petals, longer or only slightly shorter than the sepals. Geum laciniatum also has short white petals, but the petals and flower stalks have long hairs, unlike the short velevety hairs of G. virginianum.