A narrowly-conical tree with horizontal branches. Young shoots green to yellowish or brown, hairy at first. Buds conical, 5-6 mm long, resinous at the tip. Leaves mostly 1.5-3 cm long, arranged all around strong shoots, parted on lower side of older shoots, slender, soft and flexible, curved, blue-green with 2, rarely 3, narrow white bands above, and 2 broad bands below, tip pointed. Cones variable, mostly 3-7 cm long, 2-3 cm wide, ovoid-cylindric; scales thin and papery with a toothed margin. Seed 2-3 mm long, wing less than 1 cm long.

Rare in cultivation in south-eastern Australia.

Grows naturally in extensive forest stands on high mountain slopes of N America.

Leaves soft, unpleasant-smelling when crushed; shoots slightly hairy.

NSW: Sydney (Royal Bot. Gds); Mt Tomah (Bot. Gds). VIC: Kyneton (Firth Park, Wombat State Forest, 2 trees).

Source: Spencer, R. (1995). Pinaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 1, Ferns, conifers & their allies. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.