Tree with a nicely vertical main trunk, a height of 15 - 20 m and width of 6 - 8 m. It can reach up to 30 m high in its natural habitat. The branches are perfectly straight on the trunk and the ends hang down. The bark is first smooth and brown, later blackish brown with deep grooves. Young twigs are yellow and hairy like a brush. The needles taper to a point and have a fine, serrated edge. They are approx. 2.5 cm long and 0.15 cm broad. They are glossy green on top, and have 2 light greyish-white stoma stripes underneath. These are highly visible because some needles are twisted, a key difference from T. heterophylla. The needles also often rest on the twig and the needles are a lighter green than those of T. heterophylla. The short-stemmed hanging cones are similar to those of Larix. The needles turn yellow if the soil is calcareous. Tolerates pruning and can be used as a hedge plant.