The Rodrigues screwpine grows to 7 meters in height, and branches from its thick trunk to form a wide umbrella shape.

The leaves are up to a meter in length and have orange-red spines on their margins and keel.

Young plants have large, long rosettes, with longer leaves.

On the higher mountains it shares its habitat with another endemic, the slender Pandanus tenuifolius.

Inhabitants of the island use the leaves of both species for the fibres, and for making roofs, hats or baskets.