is the perfect pyramidal Christmas tree shape with horizontally tiered branches. The short, flat, soft needles are silvery blue-green both above and below and they have a slight citrus smell when broken.The needles are 1-1 1/2 inches long on lower branches but somewhat shorter on upper branches. They are 4-sided and have a very sharp point on the end. It is this point which gives the species its name "pungens", from the Latin word for sharp, as in puncture wound. Needles are generally dull bluish-gray to silvery blue.