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| Photo Credit: Robert Smaus |
| Once a year deodar cedar is filled with holiday cheer. |
Very few Christmas trees live comfortably in a container for more than a season or two, but the deodar cedar (Cedrus deodara) can live for years in the same pot, growing no more than a few inches, even after five.
The cool thing about this tree is while it waits for its holiday performance, a deodar makes a handsome patio plant. Then once a year, for a brief but glorious week, it can be brought indoors and draped with ornaments to celebrate this special season with your friends and loved ones. Make no mistake, deodar cedar is not your conventional Christmas tree. It’s not big and bushy – heck, it‘s not even a true green – but it’s a handsome and architecturally pleasing conifer of a subtle gray-green that looks elegant in even a starkly modern home. In the landscape, deodars can get quite large, but if one is planted in a large container, you can keep the tree under 6-8 feet tall for several years. Those who love Christmas ornaments will find plenty of room for hanging on a deodar, since the branches are not too dense and are nicely spaced. There’s enough room for glass ornaments to dangle from their hooks and move ever so slightly. The last few inches of each branch are only strong enough to support small ornaments, but if most of the new growth is cut back each spring (almost to the old growth), the branches will get quite sturdy in but a year or two. (This is also one way to keep the tree from growing too big, although it naturally remains small while young.) If the branches aren’t spaced far enough apart for your decorating needs, you can remove some without affecting the look or health of the tree. Be sure to keep the tree watered while it’s indoors, helping you celebrate the holidays. To make this easier on you, don’t cover the base too thoroughly with a tree skirt or other holiday decorations. (And don’t forget to keep a saucer under the pot while it’s indoors to protect your floor.)
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