Japanese Red Pine can reach 35 meters (115 ft.) Needles are arranged in pairs and remain on the tree for about three years. The bark is unusually striking showing reddish-orange as it exfoliates.

The tree prefers a site with full sun and a well-drained, slightly acid soil. Heavy clay soil is not suitable. This cultivar must be grafted for propagation. There are a few cultivars: ‘Alboterminata’ - yellowish needle tips; ‘Aurea’ - yellow needles; ‘Oculis-draconis’ - Dragon’s Eye Pine - two yellow lines on needles; the pendulous, often contorted 'Pendula' and the multi-trunked 'Umbraculifera' commonly called Tanyosho pine.

This tree is usually pest-free, with occasional scale, but the list of potential problems is long. Some of its diseases are needle blight and rusts. Canker diseases may cause dieback of landscape pines. Keep trees healthy and prune out the infected branches. Needle cast is common on small trees and plantation or forest trees. Infected needles yellow and fall off.