Cedrus deodara

Himalayan Cedar
 

Mature Size, Growth, Longevity

Gets 40-50' and 20-30' wide over 30-40 years in the landscape. Some European trees are 200' tall and 150' wide after many years. Dense, full, and broadly pyramidal in youth, with pendulous branches, then becoming wide-spreading and flat-topped in old age. Medium to fast rate of growth, about 2' per year when young. Tends to be rather short-lived in colder climates.

Native Range

Native to the western Himalayas, from Afghanistan to western Nepal. Introduced into cultivation in 1831.

Flower and Fruit Details

Monoecious, with many erect, finger-like, 2-3", green/yellow/brown male cones, mostly in the bottom part of the tree, shedding much yellow pollen in the fall. Greenish to purplish female flowers borne in stiff, erect cones in the upper part of the tree. Cones are bluish/bloomy, changing to reddish-brown, barrel-shaped, ovoid to oblong-ovoid, 3-5" long and 3" wide, with a rounded apex, borne upright on the branches, either individually or two together on short branchlets.

Leaf and Bark Features

Evergreen: Needles 1-2" long, borne singly and spirally on new growth at tips of twigs, but grouped in clusters of 15-20 per whorl further down the stem. Needles are light blue to dark green to glaucous or silvery, and sharply pointed.

Culture and Care

Prefers a deep, moist to somewhat dry, well-drained soil in a sunny site, protected from harsh winds and severe cold. Container-grown plants usually transplant easily. Drought tolerant. Needs full sun. Avoid poorly-drained, wet sites. Zones 7-9. Must put in a very sheltered micro-climate environment in Zone 6. Very tolerant of hot, humid summers, but has trouble with very cold winters. Tolerates urban pollution. Top of plant may die back due to cankers, weevils and/or cold damage. Tip blight and root rot may occur, but most problems are due to sensitivity to extreme cold and winter winds.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Other Facts

4-season interest: Spring, summer, fall & winter.

Suggested Uses

Could be used as a screen or hedge or a specimen plant in a sheltered, protected location in the landscape. Great focal point in parks and large gardens.

Taxa and Plants of this Species at BCA

The following taxa are (or were) represented in the collections at Boone County Arboretum. Additional taxa may be available in the trade that are not included here.

  • Cedrus deodara 'Eisregen' // Eisregen Himalayan Blue Cedar
    Tree. More cold-hardy than the species. Zone 6(5)-9. Some evidence of hardiness to -22 degrees F. Bright blue to blue-green foliage. Introduced from Germany. Grown from seed collected in Paktia Province, Afghanistan. Growth habit is somewhat open, slightly irregular, upright pyramidal, with weeping branches. Slow to medium grower, 12-18" per year in youth, taking several years to exceed 10-15' tall & 5-8' wide. Eventually may reach a size of 40' tall and 20-30' wide. The blue foliage makes this a striking specimen in the landscape.
    BT001519

  • Cedrus deodara 'Karl Fuchs' // Karl Fuchs Himalayan Cedar
    Tree. An extremely blue-needled form, full and dense at a young age, grown as a cold-hardy selection at a Maryland Nursery in 2001-2002, raised in Germany from seed collected in Paktia Province, Afghanistan in 1979. Zone 6-8. Similar to 'Eisregen'. Some evidence of hardiness to -22 degrees F. It grows into a narrow-pyramidal shape of silvery-blue-gray foliage, with deeper blue-green inner needles. Quite stunning. Grows to 10-20' high and 5-6' wide after several years in the landscape, eventually reaching a size of 50-65' tall and 10-15' wide. Graceful, weeping branch tips.
    BT001546 - BT001547