Cedrus atlantica

COMMON NAME: Atlas Cedar

FAMILY: Pinaceae

GROWTH HABIT: Tree to 40 - 60 ft. but can be large, up to 120 ft. In youth and early maturity the form is stiff with an erect leader and the overall shape is pyramidal; older trees assume a flat-topped habit with horizontally spreading branches.

FOLIAGE: Evergreen. Bluish green..

BUDS: Minute, ovoid, with brown scales which remain on the shoots after the appearance of young leaves.

FLOWERS: Monecious, male comes very densely set, erect, finger-shaped, 2 - 3 in. long, 1/2 - 5/8 in. wide, shedding clouds of yellow pollen in the fall; female borne in stout erect cones, purplish initially, usually in the upper parts of the tree.

FRUIT: Cones. rather short, long persistent, upright on upper side of branches, 3 in . long and 2 in. in diameter, requiring two years to mature, glaucous green while developing, finally brown.

NATIVE HABITAT: Algeria and Morocco on the Atlas Mountains.