Russell Stafford
Family
Pinaceae
Botanical Name
Cedrus atlantica( Glauca Group)
Plant Common Name
Blue Atlas Cedar
General Description
Noble, majestic and impressive in form and stature, the blue Atlas cedar is a heat and drought tolerant tree with alluring steel blue to frosty blue-green needles. An evergreen conifer native to the Atlas Mountains of extreme northwestern Africa, the tree in youth is pyramid-like with few branches but becomes a massive, spreading-branched specimen with age.
The needles emerge each spring in tufted whorls atop short nubs on the thin branches, first steel blue and becoming powdery blue green. The male and female cones appear on the same tree, at different times of year. Male cones shed yellow pollen in the autumn and are finger-like in shape. The female cones, which take two years to mature, are egg-shaped and turn from blue-green to lavender-brown in color. The female cones are produced only on more mature plants.
Grow blue Atlas cedar in full sun in any moist, average to well-drained soil. This tree must be given ample room to grow and reach its full landscape potential. Grow it as a specimen in a spacious lawn in a park, cemetery or campus. It is no less than glorious when its silhouette is reflected in the still waters of a lake or pond.
A weeping cultivar, 'Glauca Pendula,' is easily manipulated into various architecturally interesting forms.
Characteristics
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AHS Heat Zone
9 - 6
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USDA Hardiness Zone
6 - 9
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Sunset Zone
3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
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Plant Type
Tree
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Sun Exposure
Full Sun
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Height
40'-130' / 12.2m - 39.6m (50)
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Width
30'-40' / 9.1m - 12.2m
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Bloom Time
Fall
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Native To
Northern Africa
Growing Conditions
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Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
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Soil Drainage
Average
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Soil type
Clay, Loam, Sand
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Tolerances
Drought
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Growth Rate
Medium
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Water Requirements
Drought Tolerant
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Habit
Spreading
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Seasonal Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Special Characteristics
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Bark Texture
Smooth
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Usage
Feature Plant
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Sharp or Has Thorns
No
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Invasive
No
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Self-Sowing
No
