dies and meristematic activity is transferred to the periphery of the crown. The two (rarely three) leaves grow continuously from the crown across its entire circumference, reaching lengths up to . The crown is disc-shaped and widens with age, reaching up to a meter in diameter. The largest specimens may be no more than tall above ground, but the circumference of the leaves in contact with the sand may exceed . The largest known individual is in diameter and in circumference.

As the plant ages, the leaves often split into ribbons