The plant is a slow-growing shrub or small tree, typically forming a single trunk topped by a dense, symmetrical sphere of leaves. Its leaves are slender, stiff, and a beautiful bluish-green color, creating a striking "pom-pom" or spherical crown. As the plant matures, old leaves die and form a soft, fibrous "skirt" around the trunk, which can be left on or trimmed for a cleaner look. "Beaked” refers to the plant's unique fruit. After the tall flower stalk with its bell-shaped white flowers has bloomed, it produces woody seed pods that have a curved, beak-like appendage at their tip.