Cedar Tree: Iconic Evergreen of Ecological Importance

Cedar Tree of Lebanon

admin — Thu, 03 Sep 2020 09:38:06 +0000

The cedar of Lebanon, also known as Lebanon cedar, is a species of tall coniferous trees characterized by large, irregularly shaped heads with spreading branches. It belongs to the Cedrus genus of the Pinaceae family. This cedar species typically grows in the mountainous regions of the Eastern Mediterranean. In Middle Eastern culture, it has great historical and religious significance and has been cited several times in ancient literature.

Cedar Tree of Lebanon

Scientific Classification

Kingdom	Plantae
*Clade*	Tracheophytes
Division	Pinophyta
Class	Pinopsida
Order	Pinales
Family	Pinaceae
Genus	Cedrus
Scientific Name	Cedrus libani

Cedars of Lebanon

Lebanon Cedar

Quick Information

Tree Type	Evergreen coniferous
Identification	Height: Can grow up to 100-130 ft Leaves: Needle-like, spirally-arranged, about 5-35 mm long, and 1-1.5 mm wide Trunk Diameter: 6 ft – 8 ft 2 in Bark: Rough, scaly, dark gray-blackish brown, has horizontal fissures, stripping in small chips Cones: Males are solitary, erect, 4-5 cm long, pale green to light brown; female woody cones are scaly, resinous, barrel-shaped, gray-brown, 8-12 cm long Seeds: Ovoid, 4-6 mm wide, 10-14 mm long, have wedge-shaped wings Branches: Large, erect Crown: Conical when young, broadly flat when matured
Distribution	Eastern Mediterranean regions including western Syria, Lebanon, and south-central Turkey
Habitat	Grows on rocky slopes and ridges, in pure or mixed forests at altitudes of 500-3,000 m
USDA Hardiness Zone	5b through 10a
Growth Rate	Relatively slow, growing at a rate of 12-15 inches per year
Lifespan	Long-lived, can live for more than 1,000 years
Growing Conditions	Sunlight: Grows in full sun (about six hours of constant sunlight each day) Soil: Light sandy, heavy clay, medium loamy, well-drained, dry to moist Water: Average rainfall, about 40 inches per year
Drought Tolerance	Moderate to high
Diseases & Pests	Susceptible to fungal diseases like botrytis bunch rot and Armillaria root rot (caused by a honey fungus); some common pests include the Lebanese cedar shoot moth
Reproductive System	Monoecious, which means flowers are either female or male but both sexes are found on the same tree
Propagation	Through seeds, stem cuttings
Wildlife Value	Provides habitat for different invertebrate species, the crevices within the branches and trunks offer nesting places for birds like the tawny owl and roosting sites for bats
Uses	Wood from Lebanon cedar is used for construction, handicrafts, and furniture; resins and essential oils, extracted from the wood, leaves, and cones, are used for producing antiseptic ointments and cough medicines; planted as ornamental trees in gardens and parks
IUCN Conservation Status	Since its population has been decreasing, it is considered a ‘Vulnerable’ species

Cedar of Lebanon Bonsai

Cedar of Lebanon Cones

Cedar Trees of Lebanon Pictures

Cedars of Lebanon Photos

Interesting Facts

The Lebanon cedar has been conferred the Award of Garden Merit by the Royal Horticulture Society in 2017.
It appears as the national emblem on the coat of arms and the flag of Lebanon.
An exceptional Lebanon cedar specimen recognized by the US state of Arkansas, located inside the Hot Springs National Park, is more than 100 years old.
For increasing the population of Lebanon cedars, the Lebanese authorities have created many reserves, including the Cedars of God, which is an old-growth forest in Bsharri.

Cedar Tree Lebanon

Cedars of Lebanon Seeds

References

The post Cedar Tree of Lebanon appeared first on Coniferous Forest.

Deodar Cedar

Sajal Datta — Wed, 14 Dec 2016 12:24:08 +0000

Deodar cedar, sometimes referred to as the California Christmas tree, is a speciesof conifer occurring in the western Himalayas at an altitude of around 1,500 to 3,200 m.The tree is graceful with pendulous branches and comes in attractive coloring, ideally suited for use in landscaping.

Deodar Cedar

Deodar Cedar Tree

Scientific Classification

Kingdom	Plantae
Division	Pinophyta
Class	Pinopsida
Order	Pinales
Family	Pinaceae
Genus	Cedrus
Scientific Name	Cedrus deodara

Feelin Blue Deodar Cedar

Golden Deodar Cedar

Quick Information

Other Names	Himalayan Cedar, Deodar, Devadar, Devdar, Devadaru
Size	40 – 50 m in height, rarely 60 m; trunk diameter up to 3 m
Leaves	Slender, needle-shaped, 2.5–5 cm long, rarely up to 7 cm; appears singly on long shoots and in clusters of 20 to 30 on short shoots;bright green to glaucous blue-green in color
Cones	Female cones: Barrel-shaped, 7 – 13 cm long, 5 – 9 cm broad Male cones: 4 – 6 cm long
Tree Type	Evergreen
Shape at Maturity	Pyramidal, conical crown
Distribution/Range	Eastern Afghanistan, northern Pakistan, India (Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Darjeeling in West Bengal), south westernmost Tibet, western Nepal
Hardiness Zones	7 – 9
Lifespan	Can live 1000 years
Growth Rate	Medium; annual height increase is 13 – 24 in
Growing Conditions	Temperature: Trees tend to die in temperatures below−25 °C (−13 °F) Water Requirement: Tolerates drought well Sunlight:Requires full sun Soil Requirement: Prefers moist, acidic, loamy, sandy, clay and well-drained soils
Flowering/Fruiting	October – November; monoecious; produces flowers less frequently in comparison to other cedars; pollens are shed in Autumn
Seed Production	Commercial seed bearing starts from 30 to 45 years of age; female cones mature in 12 months and disintegrate on attaining maturity to shed the seeds
Problems/Diseases/Pests	Vulnerable to honey fungi, root rot, tip blight
Wildlife Value	Provides nesting sites, food, and cover for mammals and birds
Cultivars/Varieties	There are numerous cultivars including Argentea, Golden Deodar Cedar,Karl Fuchs, Feelin Blue, Sanders Blue,Feelin Sunny, Weeping Deodar Cedar, Kashmir,AureaPendula, Blue Dwarf, Blue Mountain Broom, Pygmy
Uses	Inner wood is used in making incense and essential oils;good source of timber especially as a building material; earlier used for construction of barracks, bridges, public buildings, railway cars, and canals; used as an ornamental tree, living Christmas trees, and bonsai
IUCN Conservation Status	Least Concern

Dwarf Deodar Cedar

Karl Fuchs Deodar Cedar

Weeping Deodar Cedar

Kashmir Deodar Cedar

Interesting Facts

The tree has a unique branching pattern, with its wood being stronger than most other conifers.
Cedar oil has aromatic properties and is used in aromatherapy while its antifungal properties are beneficial for storing food in rooms built with cedar wood. The stem and outer bark of the tree has astringent properties.
The essential oil from deodar cedar is used as an insect repellent on the feet of horses, camels, and cattle.The crude oil, on the other hand,is used in making floor polishes, soap perfumes, household sprays and insecticides.
The tree has earned the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.
It is Pakistan’s national tree.
In ancient Indian culture, the deodar forests were regarded as a sacred place where sages used to meditate. InHimachal Pradesh, people with asthma and other respiratory trouble are now recommended to sit under this tree early in the morning.

Sanders Blue Deodar Cedar

Deodar Cedar Cones

References:

The post Deodar Cedar appeared first on Coniferous Forest.

Atlas Cedar

admin — Wed, 23 Dec 2015 08:11:49 +0000

Atlas Cedar is a species of picturesque coniferous tree found in the Atlas Mountain Range of Morocco and Algeria at an altitude of 1,370-2,200m. It has a loose pyramidal form when young, and its striking green or bluish-green foliage, along with its long branches, spread rapidly, becoming flat-topped with age. When given enough room to grow freely, it can reach up to a height of 40m, and its crown can spread up to 12m.

Atlas Cedar

Blue Atlas Cedar

Scientific Classification

Kingdom	Plantae
Division	Pinophyta
Class	Pinopsida
Order	Pinales
Family	Pinaceae
Genus	Cedrus
Scientific Name	Cedrus atlantica

Atlas Cedar Tree

Atlas Blue Cedar

Quick Information

Similar to	Lebanon cedar
Size	Large trees with a fairly straight trunk and horizontal lateral branches; 30-35 m tall with 1.5-2 m trunk diameter
Leaves	Simple, needle-like leaves with spiral arrangement and parallel venation; the blade length is about 10-25 mm; no change in fall color
Flowers	The flowers are not showy; female flowers grow on the upper part of the tree while the male flowers are found in the lower parts; female flowers mature into cones
Cones	Average size of 9 cm but may grow up to 12 cm; oval or conical male cones that are green when young, but turn brown with age; purple female cones are found on the upper branches; has a dry and hard fruit covering
Tree Type	Evergreen
Branches	May droop and not showy
Distribution/Range	In Morocco, around the Northern High-, Middle-, and Oriental-Atlas range; in the Central and Western Rif Mountains; in Algeria, around the Aures and Djurdjura Mountains
Hardiness Zones	6-9
Growth Rate	Grows slowly with an annual height increase of 12 inches
Growing Conditions	Humidity: Grows in the humid regions of its native range Winter Conditions: Can survive in moderate cold but does not prefer areas that receive heavy snow Summer Conditions: Tolerates hot and dry weather Rain: Moderate rainfall Sunlight: Thrives when exposed to direct sunlight; partial shade is also important for growth Soil Requirements: Adapted to alkaline, acidic, sandy, loamy, moist, rich, and well-drained soils; it is also tolerant to drought
Diseases and Pests	No great harm is caused by diseases or pests; sometimes affected by the Deodar weevil, tip blight, black scale, and root rots; sap suckers may puncture small holes in the tree trunk
Wildlife Value	Forms pure, as well as mixed forests, on the Atlas Mountains in Morocco providing a suitable natural environment for the endangered species of Barbary macaque; different species of birds use these trees for nesting and roosting
Cultivars	C. atlantica cv. ‘Glauca’: Commonly known as the blue Atlas cedar; it has an erect form with the typical blue-green needles C. atlantica cv. ‘Glauca Pendula’: An attractive Atlas cedar with a weeping form and icy-blue needles; it is a great addition to rock gardens as a specimen tree and can get a dramatic serpentine form when trained to grow in a specific direction C. atlantica cv. ‘Horstmann’: A semi-dwarf variety of Atlas cedar; used for landscaping when space is inadequate C. atlantica cv. ‘Fastigiata’: Has symmetrical columnar shape with densely spaced branches C. atlantica cv. ‘Argentea’: Has silvery-white needles C. atlantica cv. ‘Aurea Robusta’: Has yellowish-green needles
Uses	As specimen and ornamental trees in landscaping and gardening; for timber production; bonsai
IUCN Conservation Status	Endangered

Blue Atlas Cedar Christmas Tree

Atlas Cedar Pictures

Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar

Interesting Facts

The Atlas cedar produces natural oil with a distinctive smell that deters pests and insects. This is the reason cedar wood is used in making furniture.
The South Lawn of White House in Washington, DC has an Atlas cedar, in which President Carter had a treehouse designed and built for his daughter Amy Lynn Carter.

Blue Atlas Cedar Bonsai

Atlas Cedar Cone

Blue Atlas Cedar Tree

Dwarf Blue Atlas Cedar

Atlas Cedar Needles

Horstmann Blue Atlas Cedar

References

The post Atlas Cedar appeared first on Coniferous Forest.

Port Orford Cedar

admin — Wed, 02 Dec 2015 12:16:15 +0000

Port Orford Cedar, widely known for its quality of wood and horticultural uses, is a conifer native to northwest California and southwest Oregon. It is found at an elevation of 4,900 ft (1,500 m) in the valleys of Klamath River.

It has feathery, bluish-green foliage with the pollen cones above and the young seed cones appearing below. Its scale-like leaves have white marks below, and they are found on flattened young twigs. Lawson Cypress, as it is commonly called in horticulture, has a scaly and fibrous bark that is reddish-brown in color.

Port Orford Cedar

Port Orford cedar Pictures

Scientific Classification

Kingdom	Plantae
Division	Pinophyta
Class	Pinopsida
Order	Pinales
Family	Cupressaceae
Genus	Chamaecyparis
Scientific Name	Chamaecyparis lawsoniana

Port Orford Cedar Leaves

Port Orford Cedar Tree

Quick Information

Other Names	Pacific White Cedar, Pacific White Cypress, Port Orford Cypress, Oregon Cypress, Ginger Pine, False Cypress
Similar to	Extinct conifer species Chamaecyparis eureka, as revealed from its fossil foliage found on the Canadian Axel Heiberg Island
Size	Large trees; when matured, they may attain a height of over 197 ft (60m); their trunk diameter is 4-7 ft (1.2-2m), crown spread of about 5m
Leaves	3-5mm long, arranged in crossed or intersected pairs; dead leaves are shed collectively in sprays
Cones	Globular form; have a diameter of 7-14mm with 6-10 scales; the young female cones are green while the mature ones are brown; the male cones are smaller than the female cones and have a red color
Tree Type	Evergreen
Shape at Maturity	Acute or acuminate at the apex
Distribution/Range	Coastal areas of northern California and southern Oregon; southern Coos County, northern Curry County in Oregon; Klamath, Illinois, Trinity, Sacramento, and Rogue River drainages; also in the Siskiyou and Mount Shasta region
Hardiness Zones	5-8
Lifespan	Long-lived; can survive over 350 years in the forest
Growth Rate	Moderate and consistent; annual height growth is 1.15 ft (0.35 m)
Growing Conditions	Humidity: High humidity at night, though some places in the valley are dry during the day; the coastal areas remain foggy Winter Conditions: Cold and wet winters; tolerant to a temperature of -15°C and a snowpack of 3-7 ft Summer Conditions: Warm and dry Rain: Moderate to high annual precipitation, typically 39-89 inches Sunlight: Full sunlight as well as partial shade Soil Requirements: Well-drained, moist soils; grows on sand dunes, the edges of intermittent streams, bogs, productive soils derived from diorite and sedimentary rocks, as also on drier soil derived from ultramafic rocks
Diseases	Phytophthora lateralis, an oomycete pathogen causes a root rot that may kill the tree; damage is also caused by drought, wind, and snow; it is sensitive to air pollutants including high levels of nitrous oxide and sulfur dioxide
Flowering/Fruiting	Development of reproductive organs starts during spring-summer; formation of bladderless pollen is in late winter, and the pollen cones are shed in mid-March; fertilization takes place in April or May, and the seeds mature during September-October
Seed production starts	At 5-20 years of age
Seed bearing frequency	Seeds produced every year, but heavy production of seeds takes place every 4-5 years
Dispersal of Seeds	About 90% of the seeds are dispersed during Sep-May
Germination	Mid to late June
Wildlife Value	Deer, elk, and some domestic animals graze on the leaves and twigs of Port Orford Cedar; Douglas squirrels eat the seeds and cones; rabbits and mountain beavers feed on the foliage of young trees while the porcupines and woodrats love eating the bark
Cultivars	Hundreds of cultivars have been used in horticulture including Ellwoodii, Aurea Densa, Lanei Aurea, Wisselii, Chilworth Silver, Fletcheri, Little Spire, Gimbornii, Ellwood’s Gold, Kilmacurragh, Minima glauca, Stardust, and Pemberry Blue
Uses	Originally used as lumber for constructing houses, building ships, manufacture of furniture, and timbers for mine excavations; now commonly used for making boxes, toys, yardsticks, shelves, tables, cabinets, moldings, arrow shafts, soundboards on guitars, decking, lawn furniture, doors, handles, and boats; the logs are also exported to Japan for their similarity with Hinoki wood used in constructing temples and traditional houses
IUCN Conservation Status	Near Threatened

Port Orford Cedar Images

Port Orford Cedar Bark

Port Orford Cedar Cone

Port Orford Cedar Needles

Interesting Facts

After its discovery by the natives of Port Orford, this species of cedar trees was first cultivated in 1854 by the collectors at the Scottish nursery Lawson & Son. This inspired botanist Andrew Murray to name these trees as Lawson Cypress.
The foliage of Port Orford cedar has a distinctive pungent smell.

Port Orford Cedar Wood

Port Orford Cedar Decking

References:

The post Port Orford Cedar appeared first on Coniferous Forest.