The bark is smooth and silvery-grey on young trees, aging to furrowed and red-brown or dark grey-brown.

The leaves (needles) are five per bundle (fascicle), spreading, 8–14 cm long, 0.6-1.0 mm in diameter, straight, slightly twisted, pliant, dark green to blue-green, and persist 3–5 years.

The upper surfaces (adaxial, facing the centre of the fascicle) is conspicuously whitened by narrow stomatal lines.

The lower surfaces (abaxial, the outer face away from the centre of the leaf fascicle) are without evident stomatal lines.

It is a drought tolerant tree but greater populations grow on moist and cool places living in association with other pines.