鐵杉屬常綠針葉大喬木，臺灣特有變種。小枝具葉枕；線形葉旋生而略成2列，先端鈍或凹，長1~1.6cm，裏面有2白色氣孔帶。雄花近於球形，單獨腋生。懸垂毬果卵形或長橢圓形，長2~2.5cm；苞鱗短小，廣卵形，不整齊鋸齒緣；種鱗圓形，有縱紋，淡黃褐色，有光澤。種子有翅，種翅長度為種子的2倍以上，全長約0.7cm。

An evergreen coniferous tree in the genus Tsuga, an endemic variant to Taiwan. The branchlets have leaf pulvini; the linear leaves are arranged spirally in a manner more or less 2-ranked, apex obtuse or concave, 1-1.6cm long, with 2 white stomatal bands. Male flowers nearly spherical, axillary solely. Drooping cones ovate or oblong, 2-2.5cm long; bract scales small and short, broadly ovate, margin irregularly serrated; seed scales round, with longitudinal streaks, pale yellow-brown, shiny. Seed wings are twice longer than that of seeds, about 0.7cm including the wing.

全日照或半日照冷涼環境，自然生長於高濕度森林。生長緩慢，壽命長。耐寒、耐旱、耐脊。於平地高溫越夏困難。以種子繁殖。

The plant thrives in full sun or partial sun and cold environment; spontaneously growing in high-humidity forest. It’s a slow grower, long-lived, tolerant to cold, drought and barren but difficult to survive in the summer heat in the lowlands. Propagated by seeds.

木材易腐，可作紙漿用。種子可供食用。

The wood is susceptible to decay; a raw material of pulp. Seeds edible.