Leucospermum saxosum is an upright evergreen shrub of up to 2 m (6.6 ft) high that is assigned to the family Proteaceae.

[5] Leucospermum saxosum is an upright, evergreen shrub of up to 2 m (6.6 ft) high, with many stems originating directly from the woody underground rootstock.

The anthers are elliptic in shape, about 2 mm (0.079 in) long, lack a recognisable filament and are directly attached near the top of the perianth lobes.

The style is 4½–5½ cm (1.8-2.2 in) long, curves slightly towards the center of the flower head, is initially orange in color but becomes reddish over time.

[3] The subtribe Proteinae, to which the genus Leucospermum has been assigned, consistently has a basic chromosome number of twelve (2n=24).

[6] The escarpment pincushion differs from its closest relatives by the funnel-shaped tube of the perianth, the very slim cone-shaped pollen presenter that is hardly wider than the lower style, the elliptic or lance-shapes leaves with a very narrowly wedge-shaped base or leaf stalk.