Perennial emergent or wetland herbaceous plants, with green petioles, cylindrical, large leaves, up to 25 cm in length and 15 cm in width, deep green, and variable in leaf shape. Most leaves are oblong-lanceolate, about 10-20 cm long. The upper two petals each have two yellow-green spots. The scape is erect, usually taller than the foliage. The rhizome is a tufted adventitious root, 15-30 cm long, with many root hairs. The underground stem is robust, yellow-brown, with bud eyes, and the stems have a cluster of leaves, reaching 80-150 cm in height. Petioles are green, cylindrical, with a membranous cut surface. Leaves are smooth, olive-colored, oblong-lanceolate. The leaf base is broadly cordate, gradually tapering at the tip. Inflorescences are paniculate, 5-20 cm long, with dense flowers exceeding 200, blue-violet with yellow spots, about 10 mm in diameter, with 6 nearly circular sepals, fused at the base into a tube-like shape. Fruits are green at first, becoming brown upon maturity; the fruit skin is hard, seeds are elliptical, 1-2 mm in diameter. Flowering and fruiting period: May to October.