How do you recognise Cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus libani)?

Leaf

Alain Bigou, Tela Botanica · CC BY-SA 2.0

Cedar of Lebanon

Cedrus libani A.Rich.

Also known as: Lebanon cedar

Family: Pinaceae

25 to 40 m tall

Widely planted in parks and large gardens

Flowering: September – October

Full sun

-25°C

❓ How do you recognise this plant?

Distinctive silhouette in horizontal tiers, recognisable even from a great distance. The Atlas cedar keeps a narrower, conical habit, often with bluish foliage, whereas the cedar of Lebanon develops a flat crown in broad horizontal tiers with age.

🍃 Leaves

Short needles grouped in dense tufts on short shoots

🌸 Flowers

Upright male cones releasing a cloud of pollen in autumn

🍎 Fruits

Large, upright, barrel-shaped cones, breaking up on the tree

🪵 Bark

Grey to brown, fissured, characteristic tiered silhouette

🗺️ Distribution

Mountains of Lebanon, Syria and Turkey; widely planted in France as an ornamental tree in large parks since the 18th century

🐝 Value for pollinators

Wind-pollinated through cones, little direct value for pollinators

✂️ Horticultural uses

Planted as a specimen in large parks and gardens for its majestic habit and tiered silhouette

⚠️ Possible toxicity

No known toxicity

⚠️ Look-alike species

Cedar of Lebanon

Cedrus libani

Atlas cedar

Cedrus atlantica

The Atlas cedar keeps a narrower, conical habit, often with bluish foliage, whereas the cedar of Lebanon develops a flat crown in broad horizontal tiers with age.

Cedar of Lebanon

Cedrus libani

Deodar cedar

Cedrus deodara

The deodar cedar has clearly drooping branchlets and leading shoot, whereas the cedar of Lebanon keeps stiff branches arranged in broad, very flat horizontal tiers.

🌿 Other Pinaceae to discover

ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.

🌱 This database is constantly evolving — species and information are added and corrected regularly. Spotted a mistake? Report it below.