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Home Page » Home & Garden » Gardening » Blue Atlas cedar: Cedrus libani spp. atlantica Glauca

Blue Atlas cedar: Cedrus libani spp. atlantica Glauca

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Strong, horizontal branches with whorls of blue-green needles and fissured, dark-gray bark give this conifer a dramatic, architectural presence in the landscape. In addition to the species, which lacks the bluish leaves, 'Glauca Pendula,' with its weeping branches that can be trained to many different forms, is another recommended cultivar.

Profile

Plant typetree
Lightfull-sun-to-part-shade
Height40 ft. to 60 ft.
Spread30 ft. to 40 ft.
Habitupright
Soil pHslightly-acidic-to-neutral-pH6.5-7
Soil moistureaverage
Foliage colorblue-green
Foliage size1 in. to 1 in.

did you know?

The blue Atlas cedar is so named for its bluish needlelike leaves and because it is native to the Atlas Mountains of northwestern Africa, which extend more than 1,200 miles from Agadir in the southwest to Tunis in the northeast.

general maintenance:

Prune damaged and weak stems and branches or prune to shape.

pests/diseases:

Atlas cedar are relatively carefree.

how to sow/plant:

Choose a sunny site with well-drained soil, making sure there is enough room for the tree to reach its mature height and spread. In fall, dig a hole twice as wide as container or root ball. Set plant at same depth or slightly higher than it was in pot, or if balled, level soil with top of root ball. Fill hole around plant with soil. Mound soil to form a 2-inch-high ridge around perimeter of the hole to act as a catchbasin. If plant is balled in synthetic fabric, remove carefully before backfilling. Natural-fiber burlap may be left around root ball and then peeled back once plant is set in hole. Water thoroughly, filling the basin and allowing water to settle several times. Spread 2-inch layer of mulch around plant.

water and fertilize:

Maintain uniform soil moisture for the first season. Be sure the soil is moist before the ground freezes in fall. Each spring before growth begins, feed with an all-purpose fertilizer, following label directions. Once tree is established, usually by the third year, water only in times of drought

garden hint:

At planting, stake 'Glauca Pendula' blue Atlas cedar to support it.

features:

  • Attractive Cones
  • Disease Resistant
  • Evergreen
  • Winter Interest

garden uses:

    other uses:

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