Cedrus deodara
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- SEE-drus dee-oh-DAR-uh
- Description
-
Deodar cedar is a fine textured evergreen tree in the Pinaceae (pine) family native to the area from Tibet to Afghanistan. Its form is broadly pyramidal when young, but its pendulous or weeping branches become wide and spreading as its central leader often dies out. Growing at a moderate rate of 13 inches to 24 inches per year, this tree typically reaches heights of 50 feet; however, in its native habitat, it can reach heights of up to 200 feet.
Plant it in a rich, well-drained and somewhat dry, sunny location with protection from winds. It is intolerant of poorly drained wet soils and can be easily damaged by frost. It can transplant easily if it has been root pruned.
Considered to be one of the most graceful conifers, it works well as a specimen, in landscape groupings or as a screen but be sure to consider its large mature size when siting a location. Its year-round gray-green color provides interest in a winter garden along with providing cover and nesting sites for birds and small mammals. With its lower branches removed, it makes an attractive, interesting street tree. Due to its messy habits, placement as a street tree should include considering the distance from sidewalks and street paving. This tree is resistant to damage by deer and is moderately salt tolerant.
An aromatic oil is produced by this conifer that naturally deters insects.
Quick ID Hints:
- needles, elongate, pliable, 1-2 inches
- grayish-green color, light blue apically
- needles multiple on dwarf shoots
- male cones gigantic, erect
- all Cedrus genus member have new needles that are born singly on stems
- needles are triangular to quadrangular in cross-section
- female wood barrel-shaped cones sit on top of the branches
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:
Susceptible to beetle borers, arillaira, phytophthora, root rot, and sooty mold.
VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Albospica'
Silver/white foliage, slow growing. - 'Aurea'
Yellow or golden foliage, upright. - 'Bush's Electra'
Yellow/green needles, ascending branches.
'Devinely Blue'
- 'Eisregen'
Cold hardy, blue/green foliage. - 'Electra Blue'
Medium growth rate, light, yellow/green needles in spring. - 'Feelin' Blue'
Bluish foliage, prostrate dwarf. - 'Glacier Blue'
Dwarf with bluish foliage. - 'Gold Cascade'
Yellow/gold foliage, dwarf. - 'Gold Cone'
Golden outer needles, bluish/green inner needles. - 'Golden Horizon'
Yellow/gold foliage, shrubby form.
'Karl Fuchs'
- 'Kashmir'
Cold hardy, blue green needles, 25'. - 'Mylor'
Dwarf habit.
'Pendula'
- 'Prostrate Beauty'
Low growing, dense/mounding/spreading form. Bluish foliage. - 'Shalimar'
Cold-hardy - 'Siberspitz'
Upright, short thin needles tinges with silvery/white. - 'Silver Mist'
White/silver foliage, dwarf.
'Snow Sprite'
Blue-green to powder blue foliage sits on branches with drooping tips
Blue/gray needles, 10'
Tumbling, pendulous growth
Globular form - 'Albospica'
- 'Albospica', 'Aurea', 'Bush's Electra', 'Devinely Blue', 'Eisregen', 'Electra Blue', 'Feelin' Blue', 'Glacier Blue', 'Gold Cascade', 'Gold Cone', 'Golden Horizon', 'Karl Fuchs', 'Kashmir', 'Mylor', 'Pendula', 'Prostrate Beauty', 'Shalimar', 'Siberspitz', 'Silver Mist', 'Snow Sprite'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Albospica'
Silver/white foliage, slow growing. - 'Aurea'
Yellow or golden foliage, upright. - 'Bush's Electra'
Yellow/green needles, ascending branches.
'Devinely Blue'
- 'Eisregen'
Cold hardy, blue/green foliage. - 'Electra Blue'
Medium growth rate, light, yellow/green needles in spring. - 'Feelin' Blue'
Bluish foliage, prostrate dwarf. - 'Glacier Blue'
Dwarf with bluish foliage. - 'Gold Cascade'
Yellow/gold foliage, dwarf. - 'Gold Cone'
Golden outer needles, bluish/green inner needles. - 'Golden Horizon'
Yellow/gold foliage, shrubby form.
'Karl Fuchs'
- 'Kashmir'
Cold hardy, blue green needles, 25'. - 'Mylor'
Dwarf habit.
'Pendula'
- 'Prostrate Beauty'
Low growing, dense/mounding/spreading form. Bluish foliage. - 'Shalimar'
Cold-hardy - 'Siberspitz'
Upright, short thin needles tinges with silvery/white. - 'Silver Mist'
White/silver foliage, dwarf.
'Snow Sprite'
Blue-green to powder blue foliage sits on branches with drooping tips
Blue/gray needles, 10'
Tumbling, pendulous growth
Globular form - 'Albospica'
- 'Albospica', 'Aurea', 'Bush's Electra', 'Devinely Blue', 'Eisregen', 'Electra Blue', 'Feelin' Blue', 'Glacier Blue', 'Gold Cascade', 'Gold Cone', 'Golden Horizon', 'Karl Fuchs', 'Kashmir', 'Mylor', 'Pendula', 'Prostrate Beauty', 'Shalimar', 'Siberspitz', 'Silver Mist', 'Snow Sprite'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Cedrus
- Species:
- deodara
- Family:
- Pinaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- An aromatic oil is produced by this conifer that naturally deters insects.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- North Eastern Afghanistan to Western Nepal and NW. India
- Fire Risk Rating:
- high flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- Squirrels frequent this tree's cones. Birds, including the woodpecker, and small mammals use it for nesting, cover, and a source of food.
- Play Value:
- Buffer
- Screening
- Textural
- Wildlife Cover/Habitat
- Wildlife Food Source
- Wildlife Nesting
- Dimensions:
- Height: 30 ft. 0 in. - 50 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 30 ft. 0 in. - 40 ft. 0 in.
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-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Perennial
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Needled Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Conical
- Pyramidal
- Spreading
- Weeping
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- High
- Texture:
- Fine
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-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 24-60 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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-
Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Blue
- Green
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Spring
- Fruit Length:
- > 3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- No fruits, male cones are solitary on short branchlets, ovoid, or oblong ovoid, 3-4" long by approximately 2" broad; apex rounded. They are typically numerous on the lower branches. They will fall to the ground in the fall after releasing clouds of yellow pollen. 3-4 in. bluish green cones on female trees.
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-
Flowers:
- Flower Description:
- No flowers. Each tree has separate male and female reproductive parts.
-
-
Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Needled Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Blue
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Prickly
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Needles
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Whorled
- Leaf Shape:
- Filiform
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- One to two inch blue-green, sharp pointed needles; 15 to 20 per whorl. Needle-like, glaucous or silvery, sharply pointed.
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-
Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Black
- Dark Brown
- Dark Gray
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Fissured
- Smooth
- Bark Plate Shape:
- Irregular
- Bark Description:
- Young trees have smooth gray bark cracking d into dark gray plates and fissuring into dark brown to black.
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-
Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Spur like stems.
-
-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Lawn
- Meadow
- Recreational Play Area
- Landscape Theme:
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Hedge
- Screen/Privacy
- Small groups
- Specimen
- Street Tree
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Heat
- Humidity
- Salt
- Problems:
- Messy
