It has flattened branchlets with green overlapping scales. Large trees are often over 500 years old. Incense-cedar is monoecious. Cones mature in late summer. Each seed has two unequal-sized wings.
Seed production varies greatly with geographic distribution.
Seed dispersal begins in late August in the lower elevations, and in October at higher elevations. Germination under controlled conditions may be as high as 98 percent but usually averages 20 to 40 percent. In natural conditions, germination is best under partial shade. Initial growth is typically slow to moderate compared to other conifers. Root growth is slow the first year but develops rapidly by the second growing season.