It is the anamorph of Hypocrea rufa, its teleomorph, which is the sexual reproductive stage of the fungus and produces a typical fungal fruiting body.

[1] The mycelium of T. viride can produce a variety of enzymes, including cellulases and chitinases which can degrade cellulose and chitin respectively.

[citation needed] A strain of Trichoderma viride is a known cause of dieback of Pinus nigra seedlings.

[3] The fungicidal activity makes T. viride useful as a biological control against plant pathogenic fungi.

[5] The cellulase produced by the fungus partially degrade the cotton material in places, making it soft and causing the jeans to look as if they had been washed using stones.