It is usually 1 to 3.5 meters high, with thick stem and no branches. When the plant is young, its surface is densely covered with yellow star hairs. Its stem is big, white and paper, bark is dark brown, slightly wrinkled, new branches are light brown or yellow brown, with obvious leaf marks and large pores.
The leaves are very large and alternate, usually gathered at the top of the stem. The petioles are thick and cylindrical, about 30 to 50 cm long. The stipules are membranous and conical, and the bases are combined with the petioles, with star shaped villi. The leaves are paper or thin leathery, with palmlike 5 to 11 cracks.
The flowers are umbrella shaped, converging to form a terminal or near terminal large compound cone, more than 50 cm long, with 4 petals and 5 petals, in a triangular ovate shape.
