Types Of Deodar Cedar Trees and Cultivars

Deodar Cedar Varieties

In some countries, Cedars are used to line the streets. Famous as the National Tree in Pakistan, Deodar has been lauded by the Royal Horticultural Society with the Award of Garden Merit.

This guide will take you through the deodar cedar varieties (true) and the cultivars.

Referred to as the most graceful cedar by Michael Dirr, a tree expert, the Deodar cedar is an evergreen conifer tree, distinguished by its weeping habit or gracefully dropping branches. It is a landscape specimen and is a common sight in large gardens.

Let us check them out.

Deodar Cedar Snapshot

Scientific name	Cedrus deodara
Common names	Deodar Cedar, Himalayan Cedar
Type	Evergreen coniferous tree
Native to	Western Himalayas
Soil	Loamy, moist, sandy, clay, well-drained
Water	Cedrus deodara cultivars need ample water in the first few growing seasons. But, after establishment, they become drought-resistant. However, regularly check the soil to leave it moist for the plant to grow.
Temp	12 °C minimum and 17 °C maximum
Humidity	Can tolerate high humidity
Light	Full sun
Growth rate	They have a medium growth rate, and grow 13–24″ per year.
Age	Up to 200 years, but some have been known to survive for 900 years.
Fruit/flower/cones	Non Flowering but have small cones

Popular Types of Deodar Cedar Trees

A. Cultivators

Here is a rundown of the top Cedrus deodara cultivars that did not occur naturally. But today they have been developed as a hybrid through scientific methods.

1. Albospica

It is one of the slow-growing varieties with silver or white foliage. Also known as the White-tipped Deodar Cedar, the Albospica enjoys a well-drained but somewhat dry soil. The deodar cedar cultivars thrive in USDA hardiness zone 6.

2. Aurea

Fondly called the Golden Creeping Jenny, the Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’ are upright plants with golden or yellow foliage if exposed to the full sun. However, their leaves may be chartreuse or lime green in less light. Its mature height is between two and six inches, and they are suitable for ponds, streams, waterfalls, or other wet areas. These Cedrus deodara cultivars spread aggressively.

3. Bush’s Electra’

Also known as the Himalayan Cedar or the Bush’s Electric Blue, it is a mid-sized beautiful tree with a conical growth, bright bluish-silvery needles, and horizontal branches, typical to most deodar cedar tree varieties. They are a beautiful landscape accent that demands low maintenance. The tree grows to 30 feet with 15 feet spread.

4. Eisregen

It is one of the popular deodar cedar varieties, particularly renowned for its hardiness. They have bluish-green foliage and develop about 18” annually. These cultivars do not enjoy excessive water but need full sun to grow.

5. Devinely Blue

It is one of the semi-dwarf Cedrus deodara varieties that has a flat top when young but forms a pyramidal shape on maturity. The plant has drooping tips with the lowest branches closer to the ground. They have a slow to medium growth and have a five-decade lifespan.

6. Feelin’ Blue’

It is one of the dwarf, evergreen conifer types of deodar cedar trees. This moderate grower grows about six to eight inches a year and reaches up to three feet with a width of six to ten feet. They thrive in full sun, well-drained soil, and medium moisture. Native to the Himalayas, they do not need pruning. It is also a dwarf deodar cedar variety.

7. Golden Cedar

It is a conical, bold evergreen cedar with a beautiful yellow-golden new foliage, which matures to a golden green tree. As it grows older, it densely branches, which adds an attractive appeal to any landscape. It is the perfect specimen for huge landscapes.

8. Karl Fuchs

These deodar cedar cultivars are large silvery-blue needled evergreen trees. It droops down at the tips, has a growth rate between six and eight inches annually, and takes a decade to grow 10 feet high and six feet wide. You can grow it in the full sun.

B. True Cedars

Here is a rundown of the only True Cedars.

1. Deodar Cedar

These are the most prevalent deodar cedar varieties and one of the easiest to recognize. They are large and typically suitable for bigger gardens. Such trees are the ideal specimen in any landscape. Native to the Himalayan mountains in India, they flourish in high rainfall regions and need deep, moist soils.

2. Atlas Cedar

Also known as the Atlantic Cedar, the Atlas Cedars are similar to the Deodar Cedar. However, they have shorter needles and cones. Their needles are bluish-green and yield a white bloom. Christened after their native place, the Atlas Mountains, these types of deodar cedar can reach over 100 feet in the mountains.

These are the fastest-growing true Cedrus deodara varieties that grow two feet annually.

3. Cedar of Lebanon

These deodar cedar varieties are prevalent in the Middle East and look much like the Atlas Cedar. Commonly spotted in the roomy gardens and parks, they have blue-green needles and a stiff branching habit.

These types of deodar cedar trees have larger cones. Lebanon Cedars were reportedly used in the construction of King Solomon’s temple.

C. Dwarf Cedars

Here is a rundown of some Dwarf Cedars.

1. Silver Mist

These deodar cedar tree varieties are slow-growing and are the dwarf cedar varieties that grow only four feet in a decade. You can also prune these evergreen conifers further to continue staying short. Their newer growth has white tips, and the tree enjoys well-drained, dry soil and full sun to part shade. These varieties thrive in USDA zone six.

2. Golden Cascade

It is a dwarf, evergreen conifer with a small spread. Originated in Australia, these grow in well-drained but dry soil. They have a weeping habit and produce golden foliage. These types of deodar cedar trees thrive in full sun.

3. Mylor

These deodar cedar varieties are dense, evergreen conifers that remain dwarf all their life. With dull yellow or green leaves, they are popular as witches’ brooms in Australia. These plants thrive in USDA hardiness zone six and prefer well-drained, dry soil and full sun. In a decade, they grow two feet high. Their spread is four feet.

4. Snow Sprite

These dwarf conifers are famed for their beautiful foliage. They can grow well in light shade and full sun but prefer a part shade for thriving, resulting in white, intense foliage. Upon maturity, they get three feet high and 2.5 feet wide. Their annual growth rate is between three to four feet per year. Your watering methods have a significant impact on their growth.

How Do You Identify A Deodar Cedar?

The Cedrus deodara varieties have weeping branches. Baby cedars have a conical appearance, and upon establishment, their stems get bigger and wider with leveled tops. From its trunk, they spread exterior to about 10-15 feet.

In indigenous surroundings, they can grow three feet annually, reaching 150 feet in height. However, if growing in the countryside, they grow only up to 50 ft.

Examining by the needles – Look at the needles to identify deodar cedar varieties. Their needles go from gray-green to blue-green, are soft to touch, and are about an inch or two long. Each needle has a life of up to six years after being replaced by the fresher ones.

Examining the cones – They have both female and male cones. The former can be spotted at the ends of the upper branches and the latter at the lower branches. The male cones yield pollen in autumn, and the wind carries them to females for pollination, growing the female cones in summer and spring.

Upon maturity, the deodar cedar tree varieties have cones that change color to brown and grow about three/six inches long. Cones have scales, and every individual scale releases two seeds once they mature. In late spring, the seeds germinate and grow.

Examining by the bark – They have a dark gray bark, which gets scalier with age. Mature cedars have thick trunks with a three-meter diameter.

Deodar Cedar Uses

The deodar cedar varieties have long been used in several forms. Here are some of the top ways environmentalists employ popular deodar cedars.

The deodar cedar cultivars’has an aromatic oil. It helps eliminate fear, relieve tension, and eradicate anger.
Ayurveda employs all plant parts as a remedy against diseases. They help with urinary discharges, dyspepsia, tuberculosis glands, insomnia, blood diseases, elephantiasis, inflammation, bronchitis, cold, cough, epilepsy, fever, leukoderma, and dyspepsia.
Different deodar cedar trees yield oil that has analgesic and anticonvulsant action.
Many use the bark as an antipyretic, antidiarrheals, and astringents.
Some use Cedrus deodara varieties for spiritual reasons to awaken consciousness, while others use it for psychological ones to eliminate mental instability.
A paste from the plant’s wood with water helps ease headaches.
Wood from the different types of deodar cedar tree works as a diuretic, expectorant to provide relief against rheumatism.
Cedar oleoresin helps in rash treatment and healing wounds.
The timber from Deodar Cedar has a wide demand. The wood is oily, aromatic, and brown. It does not get affected by pests easily. It has a close-grain and a fine texture and gets attractive polishing when treated.
Its wood helps build Railway sleepers, window frames, beams, pillars, floors, top-quality plywood, and pencils.
Cedrus deodara cultivars find their application in the construction of carriages, bridges, railroads, etc.
Deodar cedar is a specimen conifer tree, and its mass planting helps add beauty to the environment.
It works as a shade plant offering up to 91 percent shade.
In row plantings, deodar cedar varieties help create windbreaks and hedges.

Related: Western Arborvitae Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Ques 1. Are Cedrus deodara varieties messy?

Ans. They are not messy. Cedars drop the needles slowly and not all at once in fall, unlike the other deciduous trees.

Ques 2. Do Deodar cedars have deep roots?

Ans. Typically, most cedars do not have deep roots. However, the Eastern Red Cedar that grows across America can go about twenty-five deep into the soil if exposed to the right conditions.

Ques 3. Is Deodar cedar fast-growing?

Ans. Deodar Cedars grow at a medium pace and add only a foot or two per year.

Ques 4. How long do deodar cedar trees live?

Ans. While most deodar cedar varieties live for two centuries, some in the Himalayas may survive for over 1000 years.

Ques 5. What are the common deodar cedar problems?

Ans. Giant conifer aphids attack deodar cedar but do not kill the plant. They yield a gluey liquid, honeydew. It drops into the soil and makes things messy. To eliminate the pest affliction, thoroughly water the plant with a pressure spray. Follow it with the cleaning with insecticidal soap. If you do not wash the honeydew properly, it might cause spots with sooty mold.

Also, if you overwater the deodar cedar cultivars’ or the soil does not have good drainage, it makes the soil soggy, resulting in root rot.

A parasitic mushroom or honey fungus may grow on the deodar cedars. Unfortunately, chemicals do not work on them. However, you can curtail their growth by using a heavy-duty plastic sheet or getting professional help.