The average Huon grows to about 30 metres in height, although they can reach 40 metres. The leaves are relatively easily recognised, being somewhat feathery as they hang from branches. The bark is light in colour and scaly, and the tree bears cones which are fairly small in size but which play an imperative role in the reproduction process. The male cones produce pollen, and their female counterparts produce the seeds.

Huon Pine is a feature of both the west and south west of the island, growing along side rivers and in other wet areas. It tends to flourish in areas mostly below 150 metres, although it can grow in areas as much as 800 metres above sea level.

A cool, wet, temperate climate with considerable rainfall is required. It is a slow growing tree, advancing a mere 120mm in diameter per century, therefore it is not viable for commercial growing.

Interest in Huon Pine goes right back to the early settlement days of Tasmania. One of the reasons that the convict settlement on Sarah Island was located by Macquarie Harbour in 1821 was so that the convicts could engage in harvesting the Huon Pines. The logs were floated downriver en masse, although often they were intercepted or broke away, resulting in considerable losses and proving that this particular method was not the optimal means of transporting the logs.

Samples were collected of Huon Pine by Ronald C. Gunn on the Huon River, and by Alan Cunningham at Pine Cove. The name Dacrydium franklinii was bestowed upon the tree. Dakra is the Greek for tear, which refers to the resinous seepage from the tree, and the latter part of the name is from Sir John Franklin, who was Governor of Tasmania from 1836 until 1843. The non-latin name is derived from the Huon River, which in turn got its name from Captain Huon Kermandec. It is the only species of Dacrydium in all of Australia. In 1983 the tree was included in the genus Lagarostrobus.

Huon Pine is endemic to Tasmania, although it does have relations in the form of species which are found in Chile, New Zealand and Malaysia.

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