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Cedrus atlantica

Common name:	Atlas Deodar	Family:	Pinaceae
Author:	(Endl.)Carriè re.	Botanical references:	11, 200
Synonyms:	Cedrus libani atlantica ((Endl.)Batt.& Trab.)
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	N. Africa - Morocco and Algeria.
Habitat:	Upper slopes of the Atlas mountains where there is little or no rain in the growing season but the soil is fed by the melting snow from the peaks above[200].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	0	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	2

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	C. atlantica var. argentea[G] C. atlantica var. glauca[G] C. libani subsp. atlantica[G] Pinus atlantica[G]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	African Cedar [H], Atlas Cedar [H,DEN1], Blue Atlas Cedar [H], Satinwood [H],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	antica = before, in front atlantica = of Atlas Mountains cedrus = of the cedars
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Pinales. Pine family

Physical Characteristics

An evergreen tree growing to 25m by 10m at a medium rate. It is hardy to zone 6. It is in leaf all year, in flower in September, and the seeds ripen from October to December. The scented flowers are monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and are pollinated by Wind. We rate it 0/5 for edibility and 2/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soil. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure. It can tolerate atmospheric pollution.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Hedge, Woodland, Canopy.

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Antidandruff Antifungal Antiseptic Nervine Pectoral Skin.

An essential oil obtained from the distilled branches is a good antiseptic and fungicide that stimulates the circulatory and respiratory systems and also calms the nerves[238]. The oil is also astringent, diuretic, expectorant and sedative[254]. Diluted with a carrier oil such as almond, and massaged into the skin it is used in the treatment of skin diseases, ulcers, chest infections, catarrh, cystitis and dandruff[4, 238, 254]. It is used as an inhalant for treating bronchitis, tuberculosis and nervous tension[4, 238]. An infusion of the branches can also be used[238].

Other Uses

Essential Hedge Repellent Wood.

An essential oil obtained from the distilled branches is used in perfumery, notably in jasmine-scented soaps[238]. The essential oil also repels insects[238].
Plants can be grown as a tall hedge[29].
Wood - fragrant and durable[238]. It is prized for joinery and veneer and is also used in construction[61, 238]. It is also used for making insect-repellent articles for storing textiles[238].

Cultivation details

Thrives on most soils, being very tolerant of chalk, dry sites and of drought when it is established[11, 81, 200]. Prefers a rich loam or a sandy clay in full sun[1]. This species is more tolerant of atmospheric pollution than other members of the genus[11].
Succeeds in warm dry areas with less than 40cm of rain a year, but also in areas with cool summers and up to 200cm of rain[200].
Small trees less than 50cm tall establish much quicker and better than taller trees, those more than 2 metres tall are difficult to establish[200]. Larger trees will check badly and hardly put on any growth for several years. This also badly affects root development and wind resistance[200].
Trees grow fairly rapidly, with height gains of 60cm in a year recorded[185].
This species is cultivated for its timber in some parts of S. Europe[50].
Small male cones are formed on the lower branches of trees, whilst the larger female cones are formed on higher branches[238]. These female cones persist on the tree for 2 - 3 years before breaking up[238].
Trees are notably susceptible to honey fungus[200].

Propagation

Seed - collect the cones in winter and keep in a warm room until they open[1]. Sow immediately in a cold frame[78]. One report says that a short cold stratification of one month improves germination rates[113]. Keep the seed pot moist, but be careful because the young seedlings are very prone to damp off, keep them well ventilated[113]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle. Grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter and plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer. Give them some protection from winter cold for their first winter or two outdoors[K].
Cuttings of terminal shoots can be tried in a frame in November but they are very difficult[113].

Scent

Plant: Crushed: The whole plant is aromatic.

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

Details of Medicinal Uses, Habitats, etc. in M. Grieve A Modern Herbal (1931) [4]
[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[DEN] Data _ Photos (Good Identification info) from the Virginia Tech's Dendrology Deptarments' Tree Fact Sheets.

References for Cedrus libani atlantica (a possible synonym).

[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for the family Pinaceae.

[CHINA] Data Very detailed botanical/identification info. from the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[4] Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.

[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.

[29] Shepherd. F.W. Hedges and Screens. Royal Horticultural Society. 1974 ISBN 0900629649
A small but informative booklet giving details of all the hedging plants being grown in the R.H.S. gardens at Wisley in Surrey.

[50] ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964
An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.

[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.

[78] Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948
A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.

[81] Rushforth. K. Conifers. Christopher Helm 1987 ISBN 0-7470-2801-X
Deals with conifers that can be grown outdoors in Britain. Good notes on cultivation and a few bits about plant uses.

[113] Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987 ISBN 0942375009
A very detailed book on propagating trees. Not for the casual reader.

[185] Mitchell. A. F. Conifers in the British Isles. HMSO 1975 ISBN 0-11-710012-9
A bit out of date (first published in 1972), but an excellent guide to how well the various species of conifers grow in Britain giving locations of trees.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.

[245] Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.

[254] Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996 ISBN 9-780751-303148
An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world.

Readers Comments

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