A very large tree photographed on Mt. Babor in Algeria (Barbey 1934). For this and similar photos see "Abies World" by Enrico Rovelli.

Foliage and dehiscent cones on an ornamental specimen in Seattle (USA) [C.J. Earle, Feb-1999].

Distribution: Cedrus atlantica in red, C. brevifolia in blue and C. libani in purple (redrawn from Vidakovic 1991).

Cedrus atlantica

(Endl.) Manetti

Common Names

Atlas cedar (Vidakovic 1991).

Taxonomic notes

Syn: C. africana Gord. ex Knight; C. libani var. atlantica Hort.ex Carr. (Vidakovic 1991).

Description

"A tree up to 40 m high and up to 2 m in diameter. BARK on old trees fissured. CROWN pyramidal, with few branches, open. BRANCHES strongly ascending and relatively short; leading shoot erect and bent at the tip. SHOOTS thickly pubescent. LEAVES silvery bluish or green, usually not longer than 2.5 cm, between 19 and 28 in a whorl. FLOWERS appearing from June to September. CONES cylindrical, with level or concave top, 5-7 cm long, up to 4 cm wide, glossy, light brown, maturing in September and October and shedding seeds into the spring; seed scales about 3.5 cm wide, with tomentose keel. SEED 12 mm long and wing 12-15 mm long" (Vidakovic 1991).

Range

Morocco & Algeria: the Atlas and Riff Mountains, 1000-2000 m, where it forms monspecific stands (Vidakovic 1991).

Big Tree

A specimen 382 cm dbh and 30 m tall is recorded in Parco Castello, Piemonte, Montalenghe, TO, Italy. Another, 181 cm dbh and 40 m tall, grows in parco Sella, Piemonte, Mosso Santa Mar,VC, Italy (CORPO FORESTALE DELLA STATO, a listing of big trees in Italy).

Oldest

Dendrochronology

Numerous collections by Charles Stockton, working in Morocco ca. 1984-1989. The climate-ring width relationship is explored by Till (1987). Further work can be located at the Bibliography of Dendrochronology.

Ethnobotany

"It is a light-demanding tree which succeeds on basic soils, and it is quite hardy. A fast growing species, it is cultivated for ornamental purposes in parks and avenues, and may be used for afforestation of the Mediterranean and sub-Mediterranean barren lands.

"Wood is durable and used in building and for furniture" (Vidakovic 1991).

Observations

Remarks

Citations

Barbey, A. 1934. Une reliquie de la Sapiniére Mèditerranéenne: Le Mont Babor. Monographie de l'Abies Numidica Lann., pag. 1-78.

Till, C. 1987. The summary response function of Cedrus atlantica (Endl.) Carrière in Morocco. Tree-Ring Bulletin 47:23-36. Available online at www.treeringsociety.org/TRBTRR/TRBvol47_23-36.pdf (accessed 2006.06.05).