Salacca magnifica is a clustering palm whose stems are rather short and stout, sometimes appearing to be stemless.
The leaves are glossy green above and silvery green beneath, large and fork-like at the tip and have deeply grooved surfaces, as are the edges.
The flowers are erect and spike-like with the 5cms long fruits developing in a drooping fashion. They are pear shaped and covered in deep rose or yellowish brown scales which resemble snake skin.
They prefer a tropical climate, but can be grown quite successfully in warm subtropics.