A large bushy shrub. It grows 3 m high. There are leaves down to ground level. The leaves are large and divided along the stalk. These consist of soft segments 10-20 cm long. The new tips are red. The flowers are in large leafless panicles above the leaves. They are creamy-white. The young buds are covered with sticky pinkish-brown bracts. The flowers are rich in nectar. The flowers have a sickly unpleasant odour. The fruit are oval brown follicles. These open and fall off. They are 2 cm long by 1 cm wide. There are 2 flat winged seeds inside.