Strumaria tenella subsp. orientalis is a fast-growing perennial bulb with fine green leaves which look like grass. Because of this, the plants are difficult to recognize when not in flower and even during flowering, the plants can only be noticed when they are in groups. The plant grows 20 mm high including the flower stalk. This deciduous bulb looks rather like an onion when one cuts through it but it is much tinier than an onion bulb. Leaves vary from two to six depending on the rainfall. They are mostly green but are brown towards the base. Flowers are white and arranged like an open umbrella, with 6-20 flowers in one head. Seeds are fleshy, with 3-6 in one capsule. When mature, they turn reddish green and fall to the ground when the capsule opens. The flowering of this summer rainfall species starts from early February until March, which is earlier than in the Cape snowflake, S. tenella subsp. tenella, which grows in the winter rainfall region of southern Africa and flowers from April to July/August.