The Himalayan spruce is a tall, pyramidal tree with horizontal branching and softly pendulous branchlets that give it a distinctly graceful silhouette for the genus. Its needle-like green leaves, four-angled in cross-section, are the longest of any spruce — giving the foliage a feathery, almost larch-like texture despite being fully evergreen. The bark is a scaly gray; the female cones are shiny brownish-purple and loosely hanging.

It grows in zones 6 through 7 in average, medium-moisture, well-drained soils in full sun, and performs best where summers stay reasonably cool. High heat and humidity will cause it to struggle. While no serious pest problems are specific to it, the genus is generally susceptible to needle rust, canker, and spider mites, so siting it well from the start is the best insurance.