[3] The fungus has acquired a long and extensive synonymy as it has been re-described under many different names, and been transferred to many polypore genera.

[4] Cerrena unicolor has fruit bodies that are semicircular, wavy brackets up to 10 centimeters (4 in) wide, in groups of 2-20.

The arrangement of the pores resembles a maze of slots; the tubes may extend to 4 mm deep.

The binding and tramal hyphae are 2-4 μm wide, have thick walls but no septa, and are quite branched.

[8] Cerrena unicolor can be easily distinguished from most other polypores by its hairy upper surface and maze-like pores that slowly descend into tooth-like structures.

Older specimens however need careful examination of their pore shapes, which will either be gill-like or angular, versus C. unicolors maze-like.

Trichaptum perrottetii can also have maze-like pores in old age and can instead be distinguished by its flattened forked hairs on the upper surface.

[5][7] Cerrena unicolor causes canker rot and decay in paper birch (Betula papyrifera) and sugar maple (Acer saccharum) .

The wasp species Tremex columba requires C. unicolor to grow, as without the interaction, the larvae will die.