It is an evergreen shrub (rarely a small tree) reaching 2–10 m tall (rarely 15 m), with flaky brown bark, and a prostrate to irregularly conical crown. The leaves are broad needle-like, 3–9 mm long, arranged in six ranks in alternating whorls of three, and often strongly glaucous blue-green in colour.

The cones are berry-like, globose to ovoid, 4–9 mm long and 4–6 mm diameter, glossy black, and contain one seed; they are mature in about 18 months. The male cones are 3–4 mm long and shed their pollen in early spring.