Cedar, Atlas
Category: Downtown Arboretum
Cedrus atlantica
8 Trees
Details
Noteworthy Characteristics
Cedrus atlantica, commonly called Atlas cedar, is an evergreen conifer native to the Atlas Mountains in northern Africa. Mature specimens can reach 40-60’ (less frequently to 120’) tall. It is one of the true cedars. Its habit is usually loose pyramidal when young, becoming more flat-topped with long spreading branches as it ages. Downy young shoots. The 1" long needles are curved toward the tip and held in tufted clusters. The female cones are ovoid to cylindrical in shape and can reach up to 3” long. Seed raised specimens vary in foliage color from green to silver-blue.
Genus name is the Latin name for this plant.
Specific epithet means from the Atlas Mountains in North Africa.
Cultivars in the Glauca Group are characterized by the blueish grey to blueish green color of their needles and are commonly called blue atlas cedars. Synonymous with C. atlantica‘Glauca’ and C. atlantica f. glauca
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