Drimia elata is a perennial growing from a bulb with reddish scales and reaching a maximum height of 100 cm. The leaves are long (circa 25 cm) slender (1–2 cm) linear to narrowly lanceolate sometimes wavy with minute hairs especially along the margins. The inflorescence appears between winter and spring (southern hemisphere) after the leaves are already dry. It is borne on a scape up to 1.2 m (4 ft) tall and takes the form of a thin dense terminal raceme. The individual flowers are grey-white to purple-brown. They have recurved tepal lobes and dark blueish purple anthers. The flowers are pedicellate subtended by a bract with a small and distinctive spur near its base. The trilocular oblong fruit capsule contains the small ovate seeds.