294 



THE CULTIVATED EVERGREENS 



79. Cedrus 

 libani. 



^^ 



1. C. libani, Loud. (C. Cedrus, Huth. C. patula, K. Koch. C. effusa, Voss). 

 Cedar of Lebanon. Fig. 79 and Plate XL. Large tree, with wide-spreading 

 horizontal branches, forming a broad head when older, leading shoot nodding: 

 leaves 1 inch or longer, broader than thick, dark or bright green, sometimes 

 bluish or silvery: cones 3-4 inches long, brown. Asia Minor, on the Taurus 

 and Antitaurus and the Lebanon Moun- 

 tains of Syria. — Introduced to Great Britain 

 probably about 1638. Hardy as far north 

 as southern New York, but a hardier race 

 was introduced in 1904 through the Arnold 

 Arboretum from high altitudes of the 

 Cilician Taurus. This race has 

 proved hardy at the Arnold 

 Arboretum, only in unusually 

 severe winters the trees have 

 been slightly injured, but they 

 'f^W^^^^^ have always fully recovered 

 ''-p'^-^/^^^-'^ the following summer. The 

 " V" cedar of Lebanon usually grows 



well under cultivation and 

 thrives in any fairly good soil. 

 It is a beautiful tree of distinct 

 and characteristic appearance 

 which even in cultivation attains considerable dimensions, as many stately 

 old trees in European gardens bear witness. Aside from its ornamental 

 value it is of peculiar interest for its scriptural and historical associations 

 and is well worth planting wherever it will thrive. 



Var. glauca, Carr. (var. argentea, Veitch). Foliage of blue or nearly 

 silvery-white hue. 



A geographical variety is var. brevifolia, Hook. f. (C. brevifolia, Henry), 

 from Cyprus, with shorter leaves and smaller cones. — Introduced to Great 

 Britain in 1881, but has proved tenderer than the type. 



3. C. Deodara, Loud. (C. libani var. Deodara, Hook. f.). Deodar C. 

 Plate XLI. Tall tree, of pyramidal habit, to 150 feet: leaves 1-2 inches long, 

 dark bluish-green, rigid, as thick as broad: cones 33^-5 inches long, reddish- 

 brown; scales 2-23/3 inches wide. Northwest Himalaya from Kumaon to 

 Afghanistan. — Introduced to Great Britain in 1831. Hardy as far north as 

 the Middle Atlantic States. A very handsome tree of more regular pyramidal 

 outline than the two preceding species and more graceful on account of the 

 pendulous branchlets. 



Var. viridis, Carr., Green Deodar C, is a form with the foliage of deeper 

 green. 



