The wing uppersides are uniform light blue or purplish-blue, shinier in females than in males, with white fringes.

Northern azures have earlier flight and pupal periods, larger size, and more vivid adult and larval color.

Spring azures can be distinguished by close examination of the wing scale structure in a captured individual but are otherwise nearly indistinguishable by sight.

[1] The species' occurrence range extends along the Atlantic coastal plain of the United States, from New Jersey to Georgia.

Two possible alternative host plants are tall gallberry holly (Ilex coriacea) and Virginia willow (Itea virginica).