Herbaceous perennial, aerial part up to 130 cm tall. Rhizome cream to pale yellow inside, odour resembling that of young mango fruit. Leaves narrowly ovate or elliptic, with a purple costa or entirely green. Inflorescence spike-like, cylindrical, produced outside the leaves. Bracts mostly white with green median; terminal bracts violet red.

Cultivated in backyard gardens in loamy soil with high organic matter content. Propagated by planting small rhizome pieces (3–4 buds, c. 50 g) at a spacing of 20 × 50–70 cm at the beginning of the rainy season.
Young inflorescences are harvested at the beginning of the rainy season; young rhizomes are harvested 4–5 months after planting and eaten raw with several types of hot and spicy sauces or in salads such as yum khamin khao.