(1855),[2] growing terrestrially in "open sphagnum uplands".

Epidendrum, the stems are covered from the base with distichous, tubular, leaf-bearing sheaths.

The narrow leathery leaves of E. frutex can grow more than 2 dm long.

The terminal inflorescence is a distichous (not secund) compound panicle bearing numerous small, fleshy yellow to green to brown flowers.

This large Epidendrum is notable for producing seed capsules that are more than ten times the size of the flowers.