Lebanon cedar
Cedrus libani, commonly known as the Lebanon Cedar or Cedar of Lebanon, is native to the mountains of Lebanon, western Syria and south central Turkey; varieties of it (some treated as separate species by some authors) occur in southwest Turkey, Cyprus, and the Atlas Mountains in northwest Africa:
- Cedrus libani var. libani: Lebanon, western Syria and south central Turkey
- Cedrus libani var. stenocoma: southwest Turkey
- Cedrus libani var. brevifolia: Cyprus
- Cedrus libani var. atlantica: Atlas Mountains
In Lebanon and Turkey it is most abundant at altitudes of 1,000-2,000 m, where it forms pure forests or mixed forests with Cilicican Fir (Abies cilicica), European Black Pine (Pinus nigra), and junipers (Juniperus species).
The tree is an evergreen in the Pinaceae family, with a height of up to 40 m, and a conic (when young) to broadly tabular shape. The shoots are dimorphic, with long shoots and short shoots. The leaves ("needles") are spaced out on the long shoots, and in clusters of 30-40 on the short shoots; they are 1.5-3.0 cm in length. The cones are produced often every second year, and mature in 12 months from pollination; mature cones in October are 8-11 cm long and 4-6 cm wide, resinous, and break up to release the seeds through the winter.
The trees were used in ancient times by the Phoenicians to build their trade ships. Their use is cited in the bible (1 Kings 5:6). As a result of the long exploitation, very few old trees now remain in Lebanon, but there is now an active programme to conserve and regenerate the forests. Extensive replanting is also taking place in Turkey, where about 30,000 ha (300 km²) of cedar are planted annually.
References
Talhouk, S. N. & Zurayk, S. 2003. Conifer conservation in Lebanon. Acta Hort. 615: 411-414.
Semaan, M. & Haber, R. 2003. In situ conservation on Cedrus libani in Lebanon. Acta Hort. 615: 415-417.
