PlantFiles: Atlas Cedar
Cedrus atlantica

A stately conifer that hails mainly from Northwestern Africa's Atlas Mountians. Considered by some to be a regional subspecies of the Cedar of Lebanon, with whom is is difficult to distinguish.
Some commonly held general differences: C. libani has longer needles, and clusters not as tight as C. atlantica, and C. libani new growth does not have as narrow of an appearance.

Its clusters of needles are shorter than most other pines and conifers. The color, like the "blue spruce" is either or blue, but usually selected to be blue in tint in most cultivated settings.

Habit is open, revealing the interesting structure: strongly conical in youth and more irregular or spreading in maturity.

As an ornamental, is has great use as evergreen cover and ideal nesting for birds. Growth is decent, comparable to pine and fir.