The species is distributed on the territory of China in the west of Sichuan and southeast of Tibet . Occurs in the subalpine zone at an altitude of 3000–4000 (up to 4700) m above sea level , mainly on acidic soils. The area is located in a zone with a continental, relatively dry climate .
At the lower limit of the range is adjacent to Picea likiangensis var. rubescens , Picea aurantiaca , Abies chensiensis , Tsuga chinensis and Betula albosinensis ; at high altitudes usually grows along with Abies squamata .
Trees with one straight, round stem up to 150 cm thick and up to 45 m high. The crown of conical shape is formed by a set of straight, short, horizontal branches. The bark is rough, composed of small scales. Branches are short, thick, light or orange-brown, strongly ribbed and grooved. The needles are very tough, from light to grayish-green and bluish-green colors. The needles are linear, sharply pointed with sharp tips, radially oriented, curved forward, 12–18 mm long, 1.5–2 mm thick, tetrahedral with protruding ribs, with stomata in the form of paired stripes 2–3 above and 4–6 below . Pollen cones, 3-5 cm long, reddish-yellow after ripening. Seed cones are oval-oblong or cylindrical conical, 8-13 × 2-4 cm in size, purple-red before ripening, after ripening purple-brown. Seed scales obovoid shape, size 15-20 × 12-15 mm, the edge is slightly erosive or toothed, pressed to maturity, then bent back. Seeds ovate-oblong, 3-4 mm long, dark brown, with pale brown wing, size 10-15 × 5-7 mm.
Recent molecular studies [1] allow Picea retroflexa to be placed in common with Picea abies and other Asian spruce species, including Picea asperata , Picea crassifolia , Picea koraiensis , Picea koyamae , Picea meyeri and Picea obovata .
