Tall herb; root stock large, ovoid, with cylindrical tubers that are bright yellow or orange inside. Leaves very large, in tufts up to 1.2 m long including petioles, blade up to 50 cm long and 8 cm wide, oblong lanceolate, tapering to the base; petiole about as long as leaf blade. Flowers pale yellow, borne in spikes 10 to 15 cm long, appearing with the leaves in the middle of the leaf tufts; peduncel 15 cm long, hidden in sheathing petiole; flowering bracts pale green; bracts of coma white and green tinged with pink.