Described as a slow-growing,compact shrub with orange-yellow young shoots and densely arranged golden yellow or yellow-striped needles that turn green in the second year.In ten years 1.5×1.5m.Pollen-cones abundant.Recorded by Nelson(1866).Unfortunatley a number of different yellow clones were called ‘Aurea’ In the early days and it is probably not now possible to distinguish the original.