Seasonal Wild Flowers

Latin name

Cedrus atlantica

Other names

Cedrus libani subsp. atlantica

Family

Pinaceae

Flowering season

September to October

English distribution

It is found throughout the country but is lass common

in the North.

See the BSBI distribution map for Atlas Cedar

Habitat

It is a neophyte, which was introduced into the UK

in the 1840s, but not recorded in the wild until the

1980s. A blue-grey varient is widely planted as

an ornamental conifer.

It is grown in parks, estates and large gardens and

occasionally grows wild from seed.

Description

Atlas Cedar is a tall, evergreen, coniferous tree

growing up to 38m.

Male flowers are conspicuous, erect and up to 5cm.

They start off green and progessively become brown.

Mature male cones may remain on the tree for

several months after producing pollen.

Female cones are light green and at 1cm, less

conspicuous than male cones.

Fruiting cones are barrel-shaped, roughly 8

by 4cm with a flattened or dimpled top. 

They stay on the tree for 3 years and

then fall apart to release winged seeds.

Short shoots have needles in whorls.

Needles are up to 2cm with translucent tips.

Needles of both the normal green and the

Blue-grey Atlas cedars are shown in the pictures here.

The bark is slightly fissured and grey.

Two other cedars are on this website, Cedar-of-Lebanon

and Deodar.