This is a tufted perennial that can grow to 1.5 m high by 0.5 m wide. Its leaves are 10–50 cm long and 2–5 mm wide, green to grey drying to an orangebrown in summer. The flowering period is from December to February. It produces distinct large red-brown spikelets, which occur on branched stems. This attractive grass can be used as an ornamental in rockeries, as part of a native habitat garden, or can be grown in a more formal garden for its interesting colour and texture. It grows in full-sun to part-shade on sandy to clay soils and needs little water once established.