Evergreen conical conifer growing on poorly drained soils in montane and subalpine forest. Juvenile foliage markedly different from adult scale leaves. Wood yields manool, used in commercial fragrances, now protected from exploitation.

Narrow columnar juvenile form with slender interlacing branchlets, changing to an adult form with spreading crown. Flowers often single, white mildly fragrant, through summer and early autumn. Lowland forests south from Taranaki & Hawkes Bay.

Broadly conical, evergreen. Sweetly scented abundant white flowers in March. Good screening tree.

Selection with dark green foliage and dark red new growth. Flowers double frilly-edged red petals in late winter & spring. Hardy adaptable in a sunny position.