A Cedar of Lebanon tree in the St Thomas church grounds of Exeter, UK.
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Cedar is a majestic evergreen conifer native to Lebanon and the eastern coast of the Mediterranean and Asia Minor.
It grows up to 35m. The bark is blackish-brown with closely spaced ridges and cracks, and twigs are brown and slightly hairy. Cedar has a distinct shape, with several trunks and clear horizontal layers in its structure.
It is monoecious so both male and female flowers are on the same tree but different parts. Female flowers develop into a green cone, which becomes purple-grey and finally brown when mature, up to 12 months after pollination. Male flowers develop on separate cones that are small and greyish- green when immature, but lengthen and turn brown when mature. They release pollen into the air.
The cones are 8-12cm long and are often produced every other year.
The barrel shaped cones have a flattened top and a papery feel. The clusters of needles are present year round.
Cedar wood is used as an insect repellent in its native Lebanon.
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Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Pinophyta
Class: Pinopsida
Order: Pinales
Family: Pinaceae
Genus: Cedrus
Species: C. libani
Binomial name
Cedrus libani
