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Cedar

Cedar is any of the species of tall ornamental conifers that belong to the family Pinaceae, found in the mountainous regions of the Mediterranean Basin and Western Himalayas. These trees are commonly used for decorating gardens and designing landscapes, thriving in temperate zones where the temperature does not fall below -25 °C in the winter.

Types of Cedar Trees

Scientific Classification

Kingdom Plantae
Clade Tracheophytes
Division Pinophyta
Class Pinopsida
Order Pinales
Family Pinaceae
Subfamily Abietoideae
Genus Cedrus

List of Different Types of Cedar Trees

The Cedrus genus is categorized into four different species, including:

  • Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica)
  • Cyprus cedar (Cedrus brevifolia)
  • Deodar cedar (Cedrus deodara)
  • Lebanon cedar (Cedrus libani)

Apart from these ‘true’ cedars, some groups of trees and plants are also commonly described as a cedar in the US. These ‘false’ cedars are categorized into several families including Cupressaceae, Meliaceae, Surianaceae, Lycopodiopsida, Cephalotaxaceae, Caryophyllaceae, and Bignoniaceae. Some of the different types of ‘false’ cedar species that are commonly observed include conifers and flowering trees.

Conifers include Bermuda cedar (Juniperus bermudiana), Atlantic white cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides), eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana), Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica), eastern white cedar or northern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis), mountain cedar (Juniperus ashei), western red cedar (Thuja plicata), and port orford cedar (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana).

Cedar Tree

Quick Information

Tree Type Evergreen coniferous
Identification Height: 98-130 ft (occasionally 197 ft)

Leaves: Needle-like, arranged in open spiral form, 8-60 mm long

Trunk Diameter: About 8-10 ft (2.5-3 m)

Bark: Square-cracked or thick ridged

Cones: Barrel-shaped, 3-8 cm broad, 6-12 cm long

Seeds: 10-15 mm long, with wing-size of 20-30 mm

Branches: Broad, horizontal

Crown: Conical when young, broad and flat when fully grown

Pollen cones: Slender, oval-shaped, 3-8 cm long

Distribution Southern and South-Eastern Mediterranean, Western Himalayas
Habitat Mediterranean: 1,000-2,200 m
Himalayas: 1,500-3,200 m
USDA Hardiness Zone 2-9
Growth Rate Moderate to high
Lifespan 100-150 years, some can live up to 300 years
Growing Conditions Sunlight: Prefers full sun to partial shade
Soil: Slightly burned or tilled, well-drained, moist
Water: 1 inch per week in dry seasons
Drought Tolerance Moderate
Diseases & Pests Seiridium canker, keithia blight, cedar apple rust or orange ball fungus, cedar quince rust, cedar hawthorn rust, gray mold, armillaria root rot, defoliation by bagworms
Reproductive System Monoecious
Propagation Through stem cuttings
Wildlife Value Stems and roots of seedlings are consumed by the larvae of turnip moth and pine processionary; several bird and mammal species eat cedar berries
Cultivars 1.Glauca Pendula

2.Argentea Fastigiata

3.Roman Gold

4.Emerald Falls Pendula

5.Curly Locks

6.Green Prince

7.Stenocoma

Uses Cedar oil and wood are natural moth repellents, used for making shoe trees, developing a bonsai tree
IUCN Conservation Status 34 percent of the conifers including cedars are now on the brink of extinction

Interesting Facts

  • Only the male cedar trees yield pollens. The females, on the other hand, yield berries containing seeds.
  • Although some species of true cedars are acclimatized and found in the US, none of the species are native.
  • As a defensive adaptation against squirrel predation, the seeds of cedar consist of two or three blisters, which contain a bad-tasting resin.
  • Even though they are not even conifers, some flowering plants and trees are still commonly called cedars. These include Spanish cedar, Ceylon cedar, and bay cedars.

References

  1. https://www.conifers.org/pi/Cedrus.php
  2. https://sciencing.com/cedar-trees-5432718.html
  3. https://www.gardenguides.com/101502-cedar-tree-requirements.html
  4. https://homeguides.sfgate.com/cedar-hedge-diseases-32914.html
  5. https://www.iucn.org/fr/node/14500

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