:: Cedrus
atlantica ::
Blue
Atlas Cedar
 :: 
The blue atlas cedar,
a member of the Pinaceae or pine family, is native to
the Atlas Mountains of Algeria and Morocco . It can reach
heights of 165 feet and widths of 5 feet, though it usually
only becomes around 60-130 feet tall. It grows at a slow
to moderate speed. The oldest verifiable atlas cedar
is around 600 years old.
Cedrus atlantica thrives
in limestone soil and sandstone soils in a humid atmosphere
and mild climate. It is relatively drought-resistant.
Its leaves are needle-like, short, flattened, and curved.
They range in color from dark green to bluish. The bark
is dark gray and fissured into scaly plates on old trees.
The cones are purple-brown until they ripen after 2-3
years.
The timber of the blue
atlas cedar is good for carpentry, and its strong smell
keeps insects away. This tree is popular in gardens for
the bluish color of its leaves. The atlas cedar is narrow
and cone-shaped when young, but as the tree grows older,
its branches start to spread out and its top becomes
flatter. |
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