Shrubs (when on mountain ridges), or small trees to 10 m tall; trunk to 80 cm d.b.h.; bark reddish brown and smooth when young, grayish brown and fissured when old, soon flaking; branches ascending or spreading; young branchlets ± glaucous, soon becoming green. Facial leaves 1-2 mm, to 15 mm on leading branchlets, abaxial gland near base, apex obtuse; lateral leaves as long as or shorter than facial leaves, apex incurved. Pollen cones purplish, subglobose, 2-3 mm; microsporophylls 6-10, each with 3 or 4 pollen sacs. Seed cones dark brown when ripe, ellipsoid-globose, 7-10 × 6-8 mm; basal pair of cone scales subellipsoid, middle pairs suboblong, apical pair long and narrow. Seeds ellipsoid, flattened, ca. 4 × 1.5 mm; wings 1-1.5 mm wide. Pollination May, seed maturity Sep.

A vulnerable species in China.

Valleys, slopes, mountain ridges; 700-1800 m. S Jilin (Changbai Shan) [Korea]