Cedrus libani

Object Details

Description

Known from the flag of its namesake, ancient religious texts, and epic poems, the Lebanon cedar has a long history with humans - one where it is frequently under threat. Starting with Gilgamesh 5,000 years ago, nearly every major ancient civilization (and many modern ones) has tried its hand at cutting down the cedars of Lebanon. Lebanon cedars were mainly valued for their beauty and wood, and were heavily deforested and exported for construction. In the early 1900s, many remaining stands were burned to fuel the railroad during a war. Now, few large stands of Lebanon cedar remain, and those that do are threatened by pests and changing climate.

Cedars of Lebanon are a popular ornamental trees which retain a pointy, conical shape for around a hundred years. It is only once they are past this age that they begin to put out the sprawling, horizontal branches of the more impressive cedars. When mature, they are a beautiful and impressive tree.

This tree is the national emblem of Lebanon.

Hardiness

-10 - 10 F

Ethnobotanical Uses

Sawdust used to repel snakes. Sap believed to have been used in the preservation of corpses in Egypt. Wood was and is heavily used in construction and crafts.

Medicinal / Pharmaceutical

Sap was used for tooth pain.

Provenance

Uncertain

Accession Number

2011-0907A

Restrictions & Rights

Usage conditions apply

Life Form

Evergreen tree

Average Height

40 to 60 feet

Bark Characteristics

Dark grey and fissured

Cone Characteristics

Male cones release pollen anywhere from June to September. Brown, resinous seed cones are errect with a flat to slightly concave top, and shed seeds until spring. Seed cones are 3.2-4" long and 1.6-2.4" across.

Foliage Characteristics

Needles grow in tufts of 30-40 on short shoots, dark green, stiff, and four-sided. .6-1.4" long.

Structure

Pyramidal, developing to a wide umbrella with age.

Range

Turkey to Lebanon, Cyprus

Habitat

Mountainous areas; 500-3000m

See more items in

Smithsonian Gardens Tree Collection

On Display

National Museum of Natural History

Common Name

Cedar of Lebanon

Lebanese Cedar

Group

[vascular plants]

Class

Equisetopsida

Subclass

Pinidae

Order

Pinales

Family

Pinaceae

Genus

Cedrus

Species

libani

Smithsonian Gardens

Topic

Trees

Living Collections

Record ID

ofeo-sg_2011-0907A

Metadata Usage (text)

Not determined

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ax7d6c525d9-72c3-4b9b-8648-df71b7a4a715