Evergreen tree to 30 m tall. Leaves 10-18 cm long, narrowly elliptic-oblong to lanceolate. Flowers along large branches, white or cream, 5-6 cm long, fragrant, opens mainly at night. Fruits 20-40 cm, ovoid to ellipsoid, densely covered with broad pyramidal spines, grey green to yellowish, falling as intact fruit and splitting into 5 segments on ground. Seeds completely covered with fleshy or yellowish edible aril.