The leaves are spirally arranged but twisted at the base to lie in two horizontal ranks, 1–2 cm (0.39–0.79 in) long and 1–2 mm (0.039–0.079 in) broad.

Montezuma cypress is primarily a riparian tree, growing along upland riversides, but can also be found next to springs and marshes.

T. mucronatum is very drought-tolerant and fast-growing[8] and favors climates that are rainy throughout the year or at least with high summer rainfall.

[12] To the Aztecs, the combined shade of an āhuēhuētl and a pōchōtl (Ceiba pentandra) metaphorically represented a ruler's authority.

[13] According to legend,[14] Hernán Cortés wept under an ahuehuete in Popotla[15] after suffering defeat during the Battle of La Noche Triste.

[18] Artificial islands called chinampas were formed in the shallow lakes of the Valley of Mexico by adding soil to rectangular areas enclosed by trees such as āhuēhuētl;[3] they also lined the region's canals prior to Spanish conquest.

[citation needed] A linear grove is located in the main courtyard of the Getty Center Art Museum, thriving since 1995.