Atlas Cedar

Atlas cedar is the large, commanding conifer from the mountains of Algeria and Morocco that becomes a focal point in any landscape big enough to hold it. It grows forty to sixty feet tall with a spreading, tiered branching habit that develops the kind of open, sculptural form that photographs well and looks better with age. The needles are short, stiff, and often silvery-blue in the widely planted 'Glauca' selection, blue Atlas cedar, which is the form you see most often in public gardens and larger residential properties across the Puget Sound lowlands. Four cultivars are in the trade: 'Glauca' for the classic blue color, 'Glauca Pendula' for a dramatic weeping blue form, 'Pendula' for a weeping green form, and 'Sahara Ice' for variegated foliage.

Atlas cedar takes full sun to part shade and needs well-drained soil, heavy, waterlogged clay is the one condition that reliably kills it. It tolerates drought once established, which is a genuine advantage during our dry summers. Five diseases are tracked, including root rot in saturated soils, but established specimens on well-drained sites are remarkably durable. The practical consideration is size. This tree needs room, not just at planting time but for the next fifty years. The mature canopy will eventually conflict with structures, utilities, and property lines if sited too close. With adequate space, Atlas cedar becomes the most visually commanding conifer you can grow in the region.