Culture
Best grown in deep, well-drained, acidic loams in full sun. Drought tolerant once established. Tolerant of hot and humid St. Louis summers. Hardy in Zones 6-9. Not reliably winter hardy throughout the St. Louis area where it should be planted in a protected location.
Habit and height can be controlled by how the central leader is trained. If supported, the central leader will slowly (one foot per year) grow upward. If unsupported, the central leader will cascade downward. Central leaders can be supported to a predetermined height (as 10’) and then allowed to cascade.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Cedrus atlantica, commonly called Atlas cedar, is an evergreen conifer native to the Atlas Mountains in northern Africa. Mature specimens can reach 40-60’ (less frequently to 120’) tall. It is one of the true cedars. Its habit is usually loose pyramidal when young, becoming more flat-topped with long spreading branches as it ages. Downy young shoots. The 1" long needles are curved toward the tip and held in tufted clusters. The female cones are ovoid to cylindrical in shape and can reach up to 3” long. Seed raised specimens vary in foliage color from green to silver-blue.
Genus name is the Latin name for this plant.
Specific epithet means from the Atlas Mountains in North Africa.
‘Glauca Pendula’ is a columnar, weeping form featuring pendulous branches clad with bluish-green needles in clusters and upright, barrel-shaped cones. Training determines the form of the tree which can range from narrow-upright (if supported) to cascading in a variety of directions (if unsupported). Correct nomenclature for this cultivar is somewhat confused. Needles of Cedrus atlantica range in color, both in the wild and in seedbeds, from dark green to silvery-blue. Glauca Group attempts to deal with needle color variety by lumping blue-needled plants together, with cultivar names being retained only for plants such as ‘Glauca Pendula’ which have uniquely different form. However, ‘Glauca Pendula’ is currently being sold by nurseries under several different names including Cedrus libani ‘Glauca Pendula’ and Cedrus libani subsp. atlantica ‘Glauca Pendula’.
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems. Tip blight may occur. Heavy snow in winter can break branches.