Cedrus libani (Cedar of Lebanon)

One of the most cold-hardy cedars, Cedrus libani (Cedar of Lebanon) is a large evergreen coniferous tree of tightly pyramidal habit in youth, developing a flat-topped crown adorned with horizontally tiered branches with age. The trunk can be massive and is usually multi-stemmed. The stiff, dark green, four-sided needles are produced on short shoots in rosettes of 30 to 40 and remain on the tree for 3 to 6 years. The upright, pollen-bearing, yellow cones, 2 in. long (5 cm), appear from summer through fall on the end of the short shoots. The erect seed cones, up to 4 in. long (10 cm), are green and purplish when young, turning a reddish brown when mature. Usually resinous, they require two years to mature. This conifer is the national emblem of Lebanon, and is prominent both on the Lebanese flag and its coat of arms. King Solomon's temple was said to be constructed from this wood 3,000 years ago. A slow grower, it is a stately addition to the garden.

• Winner of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society
• Grows up to 40-60 ft. tall and wide (12-18 m).
• Performs best in full sun in medium moisture, well-drained soils. Drought tolerant once established.
• Easy to grow, easy to care for. No serious pest or disease issues. Keep an eye out for aphis and honey fungus.
• No pruning required.
• Native to the mountains of Turkey, Syria and Lebanon.