Evergreen tree, up to 35m in height, introduced and potentially invasive. Produces leaf litter, which suppresses germination of understory plants using allelopathy. The foliage consists of slender, much-branched green to grey-green twigs 0.5–1 mm diameter, bearing minute scale-leaves in whorls of 6–8. The tree is able to fix atmospheric nitrogen, which allows it to flourish in these hostile conditions.