How to choose the right cedar?

Choosing a Cedar Tree Based on Foliage

Cedars have evergreen leaves, made up of rosettes of needles with a variable colour.

Green Foliage

These are the most common. The green colour can range from the darkest shade to the lightest shade.

With the emblematic Lebanese Cedar (Cedrus libani), the foliage displays a very dark green, making it stand out in the landscape.

On the other hand, the Blue Atlas Cedar (Cedrus libani atlantica ‘Sargentii’) is a variety with needles of a rather light green at the beginning of the season, which will then darken over time.

The Himalayan Cedar (Cedrus deodara) also follows this pattern, with foliage that is a tender green, almost almond in colour.

The variety ‘Pendula’ produces thin and flexible needles initially light green during the bud burst period. Then, they will develop darker nuances as they ripen.

Blue Foliage

Cedars with blue foliage are among the most appreciated. This is the case with the famous Blue Atlas Cedar, especially with the ‘Glauca’ variety. The needles display a beautiful bright blue in spring, before taking on silvery-grey hues during the summer. A particularly aesthetic conifer!

This is also the case with the ‘Horstmanns Silberspitz’ variety. It has the particularity of producing young shoots in creamy white with silver nuances, which turn golden yellow in autumn. This creates a beautiful contrast with the blue-green needles when they are mature and older.

Let’s also mention the ‘Feeling Blue’ Himalayan Cedar, with its beautiful bluish-green foliage. As for ‘Karl Fuchs’, it produces needles with a greyish-blue hue.

Golden Foliage

Golden foliage is the brightest of all, capable of bringing a lot of light to the garden. They are notably found in the Cedrus deodara ‘Aurea’ or Golden Himalayan Cedar. The young shoots of its spring foliage have lovely golden reflections, then turn tender green over time.

The same goes for the Cedrus deodara ‘Golden Horizon’, or Dwarf Golden Himalayan Cedar, which has foliage combining green and golden yellow, very bright.

Cedar of Lebanon and Himalayan Cedar ‘Karl Fuchs’

Choosing a cedar based on its habit

**Some cedars have a tabular silhouette**, with branches almost horizontal. They form like **water**. **This is the case with the Cedar of Lebanon**.

**With the Atlas Cedar, the silhouette is more pyramidal**, but will also become tabular over the years. The same applies to the Himalayan Cedars. The **’Karl Fuchs’ variety**, however, has graceful branches, slightly **trailing** at the tips.

**Very different, the silhouette of the ‘Sargentii’ cultivar is all about width**, with a low and **spreading habit** that will form a vegetal cushion.

**Let’s also mention the weeping Atlas Cedar**, which, as the name suggests, **has a silhouette resembling a real vegetal cascade**. These **trailing** branches are indeed almost vertical. Over the years, it will become almost as tall as it is wide.

Choosing a cedar according to its **pruning** and its use

Cedars are impressive conifers: some can indeed exceed 50 meters in height! But there are also smaller species that can find their place in less vast gardens.

Small varieties

Of rather slow growth, they will reach about 5 meters in height over time. Among these varieties, we can mention the Atlas Cedar ‘Pendula’, appreciated for its magnificent weeping habit. After several years, it will modestly reach 4 meters in height and 6 meters in spread.

On the other hand, the Himalayan Cedar ‘Feeling Blue’ is considered a dwarf variety, as it will not exceed 1 meter in height and 3 meters in spread. With its spreading silhouette, this cedar will make a perfect ground cover in a rockery, to dress a slope or border a terrace.

Equally modest, the Cedrus deodara ‘Golden Horizon’ will brighten up medium-sized spaces with its bright golden foliage. It will measure at maturity 2 meters in height and 3 meters in spread.

Another slow-growing and small-sized cultivar, the Atlas Cedar ‘Sargentii’, which spreads to 3 meters in height and 1 meter in height. Perfect for dressing the top of a wall. It can even be grown in a large container to adorn a sunny terrace or balcony.

Weeping Atlas Cedar

The largest varieties

If you are looking for a centerpiece, a cedar to grow in isolation, that will attract attention, opt for the largest varieties.

For example, the Himalayan Cedar is a true giant, which will measure 20 meters in height at maturity and 8 meters in spread. In nature, it can even exceed 70 meters in height. Unlike most conifers, it has the advantage of rather rapid growth, if the soil is deep and remains moist (never completely drying out). A bit more modest, the ‘Karl Fuchs’ variety will settle for 10 meters in height and 5 meters in spread.

Let’s also mention the measurements of the Atlas Cedar, which reach 20 meters in height and 10 meters in width.

Even more impressive, the Cedar of Lebanon can reach 50 meters in height and 20 meters in spread. It is obviously reserved for the largest parks and gardens.

Himalayan Cedar and Blue Atlas Cedar

Choosing a cedar according to the specific research area

Most cedars thrive in sunny, well-drained locations. However, some can tolerate slightly less bright conditions, in partial shade. This is notably the case for the dwarf Himalayan cedar ‘Golden Horizon’. Its foliage will simply have darker shades than if planted in full sun. ‘Aurea’ can also tolerate light shade.