The imposing and fast-growing Atlas cedar initially develops a conical shape, acquiring its spreading form and reaching heights of up to 25 meters with age. Its branches grow in multiple stems and irregularly, giving each cedar its own unique appearance. The bark of young trees is smooth and gray, while on older trees it becomes a scaly, blackish-gray. Its wood is very durable and emits a pleasant fragrance. The intensely blue- to grayish-green needles, which have a lifespan of approximately seven years, are about two centimeters long and grow singly on long shoots, but in clusters on short shoots.
Natural Habitat: The Atlas cedar is native to the Atlas and Rif Mountains of North Africa, where it grows at altitudes between 1000 and 1800 meters. From the 19th century onward, it was also planted in Southern Europe and has since spread to more sheltered northern regions.
