Some live to be 800-1000 years old. Mature trees grow to be 15-30 feet tall. The largest known is 14 feet thick and 87 feet tall. This ancient individual, estimated to be 3000 years old, can be found at the Sonoran Pass in the Sierra Nevada. These trees tend to become gnarled with age.
Younger trees are usually well-formed with a full crown and straight bole.
The bark is reddish brown, furrowed and shreddy. The branches are spreading and the trunk occasionally splits into two. The scale-like leaves are found in three's, 1.5 mm long and form stout rounded twigs that are grey green with a gland dot. They are soft, juicy and resinous and posses a bloom, or whitish coat. Birds play a major role in the distribution of the seeds.