Tufted perennial herb, with single or multiple stems from the base, up to 2 m tall. The whole plant is very densely glandular-hairy.

Leaves larger and lyre or fiddle-shaped in the lower parts, with small auricles at the base, 110–200 × 50–130 mm; upper leaves much smaller, sessile; margins coarsely and irregularly toothed.

The inflorescence is a large, open, sparse panicle, with many heads. Heads are discoid, up to 12 mm long, with a single row of 5–7, narrow, calyculus bracts. Florets are usually dark purple, but sometimes also occur in lighter shades.

Pappus of white, plumed bristles, obvious before floret lobes open, but often hidden in the mature capitula. Achenes are cylindric, ribbed and glabrous.

Plants start flowering in midsummer (December), but mostly peak flowering in late summer and autumn (March and April).