Huon pine is in the family Podocarpaceae, the first pollen records of which date back 135 million years.

Huon pine reaches the greatest age: trees over 2000 years old have been dated, placing the species among the longest lived organisms on earth. Some specimens, still growing, could be over 5000 years old.

Huon pine is the only member of the genus Lagarostobos in Tasmania and is related to species in Chile, Malaysia and New Zealand. It is endemic to Tasmania: that is, it occurs naturally in Tasmania and nowhere else.

Huon pine is easily recognised by its feathery foliage and hanging branches; it is similar in appearance to the common cypress.

The timber itself is a mellow, fine-textured wood with a characteristic, plesant fragrance. It seasons readily, has a low shrinkage, is soft and easily worked; is light in weight and has good nail-holding properties.

These, together with its stability and high resistance to attack by rot and marine organisms, have earned Huon pine a high regard as a shipbuilding material. It is also highly prized for furniture making, joinery, turning and the craftwood industry.

The durability of the wood is due to the presence of an essential oil which gives Huon pine its unique odour. The oil can represent as much as seven per cent by weight of the wood and can be extracted by steam distillation.