The red palm latan can reach 12 m (40') height but grows quite slowly. The stipe is gray, smooth and slightly swollen at the base. It measures up to 25 cm (10 inches) in diameter and exhibits rings which are the scars of fallen leaves.The leaves are fan shaped, red with red petiole the first years, later green. The edges of the leaf and the main leaf veins are finely toothed. The leaves are stiff and worn by a petiole of 1-1.5 m (3-5') long. They form a crown of 5-6 m (16-20') in diameter.The plant is dioecious: male and female flowers appear on separate individuals. In spring it produces small yellow flowers in clusters of almost 2 m (6.5') long, which appear between the leaves.
