Fansipan fir

Large, evergreen coniferous tree, growing up to 15 - 20m with pyramidal crown when young, broadly-pyramidal to rounded when mature. Bark is smooth, reddish-brown when young, later dark brown, breaking into thin, irregular plates. Young branches are reddish-brown, maturing to grey-brown, then grey. New vegetative buds are resinous, small and globular. Leaves are radially spread, dark- green, with two stomatal lines underneath, up to 3cm long. Seed cones are barrel-shaped rounded on the top, 8 - 10cm long, pale purple to blue when young. Seed bracts fully hidden.