A majestic, long-revered tree of deep religious and cultural significance. It appears in the Epic of Gilgamesh, often called the earliest literary work, and its timber was imported to Egypt in the Fourth Dynasty (c.2613-2498 BC) for construction and pharaohs’ coffins. It features on Lebanon’s flag. Introduced to Britain by the early eighteenth century, it was popularised by ‘Capability’ Brown.
Native to Asia Minor and occurring naturally in mixed conifer forests in Lebanon, Syria, and eastern Mediterranean countries, including the Taurus Mountains in Turkey. Grows on steep mountain slopes, typically north-facing, 1,300–3,000m asl.
Monoecious, wind-pollinated.
Majestic, to 35m, with dark green level foliage ‘plates’ even at branch tips, though easily confused with other cedars. Often spreading, with huge branches rising like organ pipes. Bark grey and smooth, darkening and fissuring into thick plates. Needles soft, 2-3cm, spirally arranged in whorls on spurs. Female cones 10cm, barrel-shaped, green to purple-grey then brown, disintegrating to leave the rachis.
Usually grown as an open specimen in parks and large gardens, thriving in sheltered lowland sites. It also grows well, even vigorously, in forest conditions unless shaded. Hardy to extreme cold but sensitive to spring frosts; dislikes wet ground. It is prone to suddenly dropping large branches, so needs careful management near people.
Invertebrates find homes in its bark crevices, while trunk hollows created after large branch drops create roosting and nesting sites for bats and owls.
Threatened in its native range by human activities, especially agriculture. Likely to thrive in a warmer and drier climate in future, being quite resistant to drought. Few pests or pathogens, but can host honey fungus and suffer from aphid infections.
Produces fine, high-quality timber, red-brown and lightweight. Wood from the natural range is slow-grown and stable, but faster home-grown timber in north-west Europe can shrink or warp. A warming climate may encourage commercial planting in drier parts of north-west Europe, such as southern and eastern England and western France.
