Trees dioecious, to 25(-35) m tall, often with suckers from roots. Trunk straight, to ca. 40 cm d.b.h.; crown pyramidal; bark finely fissured and scaly, gray, adaxially pale red. Ultimate branchlets spreading to slightly pendulous, dark green, grayish green, or glaucous-green when dry, 15-38 cm × 0.5-0.7 mm; articles 4-5 mm. Leaves erect, 8(-10) per whorl, narrowly lanceolate. Male spikes 1.2-2(-4) cm. Cones ellipsoid or subglobose, 7-12 mm, truncate at both ends; apex of bracteoles acute. Samaras 3-5 mm including wing. Fl. Apr, fr. Jun-Sep. 2n = 18*.

Only subsp. cunninghamiana is cultivated in China. Used for timber.

Cultivated in Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Taiwan, Zhejiang [native to Australia]