25. Blue Atlas Cedar

Common Name - Atlas Cedar              

Latin Name – Cedrus atlantica

Height - 40 Metres               Spread – 8 Metres

This is a large evergreen tree, that was Introduced in the 1840’s, from the Atlas Mountains of Algeria and Morocco and is actually part of the Pine family. Growing upwards of 40 Metres this tree is quite stately and imposing. The trees male flowers are yellowish in colour and often tinged with pink and are followed by upright barrel shaped (5 to 7cms) cones amongst all its numerous branches in autumn. The cones take over two years to mature, before breaking up whilst still on the tree. Female flowers are in the shape of a small green/reddish cone. Intriguingly, the male cones are the ones that release seeds while its female counterparts mature and remain on the tree for many years.

Currently, the largest of these trees in existence, has a girth of nine Metres and a height of thirty-four Metres and can be found in Varese in Italy. In comparison the tallest, but not necessarily the biggest of this tree stands at forty three metres tall. 

Interestingly, the tree produces a very fragrant and durable wood used in furniture and makes it especially popular for clothing storage because of its scent. Additional benefits of Atlas Cedar trees is that Cedarwood Oil; an essential oil sold and used for medicinal purposes as well as in fragrances can be extracted.