This is a medium-sized fan palm that typically grows as a solitary or only weakly suckering palm with a relatively slender trunk compared to many other Cuban Copernicia. The trunk is gray to brown and often remains covered in persistent old leaf bases for many years, giving mature specimens a rough, armored appearance. Its crown consists of stiff, circular costapalmate leaves that are light green above and often glaucous to grayish beneath, creating a striking two-toned effect in strong light. Armed petioles with sharp margins support the leaves, as is typical for the genus. Branched inflorescences emerge among the leaves and produce small dark fruits after flowering. The species is notable for being one of the few Copernicia taxa associated with variable clustering tendencies.