This species is a solitary, towering royal palm native to Cuba, with a smooth, straight gray trunk that often bulges slightly at the base and shows prominent leaf scars as it matures. It develops a green crownshaft below the crown, though its tone can sometimes look slightly glaucous in good light. The crown is full and rounded, carrying long, gracefully arching pinnate leaves.  Inflorescences emerge just below the crownshaft, producing clusters of small, cream to white flowers that later develop into shiny, purplish-black fruits. This species is considered rare and endangered in its native range, with very few wild populations still existing, making it one of the least commonly encountered species of the genus in cultivation.