Solitary fan-leafed palm to 12 m tall in cultivation much tall in the wild, 30-45 cm diameter. The blade over 3 m wide on stout petiole 2-3 m long; covered with whitish wax and scales giving it a whitish blue foliage. There forms with less wax covering with more greenish look. The species is dioecious. In males, long tentacle like branches bear tiny brownish flowers. Fruits are 4 wide, globular, green ripening grey-brown.