The largest sea fan, this can greatly exceed the Gorgonia species in height and width. Large colonies have a much more open mesh of branchlets than the Gorgonias, with a wider separation of branches. This wide spacing of branches, together with the spaces and gaps between some of the larger branches, can give big colonies a ragged appearance. Small colonies, however, look neat and regular.

It branches predominantly in one plane and is most commonly found in deeper water, projecting well out from steep surfaces.