Cedrus atlantica
Common name: 
Atlas Cedar
Pronunciation: 
SE-drus at-LAN-ti-ka
Family: 
Pinaceae
Genus: 
Synonyms: 
Cedrus. libani subsp. atlantica
Type: 
Conifer
Native to (or naturalized in) Oregon: 
No
  • Conifer, evergreen, 40-60(120) ft [12-18(40) m] tall, stiff, erect leader, ascending branches, pyramidal in youth, with age assumes a flat-topped habit with ascending or horizontal branches.  Branch tips tend not to droop.  Twigs spreading, stout, finely hairy.  Leaves (needles) green to bluish-green, clustered (10-20) on spurs, or alternate on leading twigs, about 2 cm long, somewhat stiff.  Male (pollen) cones are about 5 cm long, erect, they release clouds of yellow pollen in the fall.  Female (seed) cones are upright, barrel-shaped, 5-7.5 cm long and 4 cm wide, glossy light brown, seed scale 3.5 cm wide; require 2 years to mature.
  • Sun or partial shade.   Prefers moist, well-drained, deep loamy soil, but tolerates clay soils.  Protect for sweeping winds.
  • Hardy to USDA Zone 6  (not hardy for much of the US)     Native to the Atlas Mountains of Algeria and Morocco.  Blue forms ('Glauca') are often selected from seedling populations.
  • The Cedrus genus was formerly considered to include four species, but it has been reduced to two, C. deodara of the Himalayas and C. libani (Cedar of Lebanon) of the Mediterranean. C. atlantica, the most common species used in landscaping is now considered to be a subspecies of C. libani (i.e., C. libani ssp. atlantica), or even just synonymous (van Gelderen and van Hoey Smith, 1996).  However, it is likely that C. atlantica will continue to be sold under that name for some time.
  • Oregon State Univ. campus: northeast Milam Hall.
Click image to enlarge
  • plant habit

    plant habit

  • branches

    branches

  • branch with needle clusters

    branch with needle clusters

  • needle clusters

    needle clusters

  • trunk, bark

    trunk, bark