This is a rhizomatous perennial herb growing to heights between one and two meters. The lance-shaped leaves are up to about 12 centimeters long and have short winged petioles. The foliage and inflorescences are resinous and sticky. The plants are dioecious, with male plants producing clusters of up to 40 whitish staminate flowers and female plants bearing bunches of up to 150 fluffy whitish pistillate flowers with a hairlike pappus attached to each developing fruit.