Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Pinophyta
Class: Pinopsida
Order: Pinales
Family: Pinaceae
Genus: Cedrus
Species: C. atlantica
Binomial name: Cedrus atlantica
Synonyms: C. libani subsp. atlantica
Common: names: Atlas cedar, Blue atlas cedar
Cedrus atlantica is a cedar native to the Atlas Mountains of Morocco (Middle Atlas, High Atlas), to the Rif, and to the Tell Atlas in Algeria in North Africa. C. atlantica is common in cultivation as an ornamental tree in temperate climates.
Fully grown, Cedrus atlantica is a large coniferous evergreen tree, 30–35 m (rarely 40 m) tall, with a trunk diameter of 1.5–2 m. It is usually a loose pyramidal shape when young, becoming more flat-topped with long spreading branches with age.
The cylindrical cone size is rarely over 9 cm long though one of 12 cm has been recorded. The Cedrus atlantica has a needle (leaf) length of 10–25 mm and it is curved toward the tip and they appear in tufted clusters. They range in colour from dark green to silvery-blue. Young shoots are downy.
Blue-needled varieties of Cedrus atlantica are now lumped into one group called the ‘Glauca Group’. Prior designations such as C. atlantica ‘Glauca’ and C. atlantica f. glauca have been eliminated in favour of C. atlantica (Glauca Group).
Cedrus atlantica ‘Glauca’ photographed at the Tupare Public Gardens, New Plymouth.
[1]
A young tree.
Cedrus atlantica foliage with developing female cones.
[2]
Young female cones.
Male cones beginning to shed pollen
[3]
Maturing female cone
[4]
Mature female cone opening to shed seed.
[5]
The trunk.
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Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
