An erect, often tufted perennial herb, up to about 300-800 mm high. The flowering branches grow from a single woody rootstock. Leaves are numerous along the stems, elliptic, up to 40 mm long, dark green, thinly velvety and almost hairless above, densely hairy, silvery-grey and velvety below with prominent veining; margins entire but wavy. Flower heads, borne in large groups towards the tips of the branches, are bright purple/violet and about 10 mm in diameter.