In forests, it tends to present as a low canopy tree; in open situations it usually forms a large, broadly spreading shrub.

Elevation ranges from 900 m to 3,700 m.[1] It is a medium-sized evergreen coniferous tree growing to 10 m tall, similar to Taxus baccata and sometimes treated as a subspecies of it.

It is dioecious, with the male and female cones on separate plants; the seed cone is highly modified, berry-like, with a single scale developing into a soft, juicy red aril 1 cm diameter, containing a single dark brown seed 7 mm long.

[8] The Himalayan yew has been subject to heavy exploitation for its leaves and bark across most of its range through the Himalayas and western China.

It is present in several protected areas, and at least some conservation and propagation measures are underway, with an eye to its commercial value in the medicine trade.