Among all the conifers there is no tree equal to cedar for the harmony of the framing of landscape gardening landscapes. This is what most of the English people think, which fully explains the popularity of this type of evergreen crops in aristocratic gardens. Two or three cedars at the entrance of the house are enough to frame an architectural composition, giving it a homely and at the same time festive atmosphere. We will tell you which cedars are suitable for cultivation in homestead farms, analyze their types and popular varieties.
Did you know? Cedar wood is very much appreciated in the world market, as it is famous for its durability, pleasant smell and antimicrobial properties. Hindus praise these trees to the rank of divine, Phoenicians used for shipbuilding, Egyptians - for mummification. Contemporaries note that a mole does not start in cedar cabinets.
Cedar: general characteristics
What is cedar, in our latitudes do not know everything. Most associate it with delicious pine nuts, which are on sale. In fact, this delicacy is absolutely not involved in cedars, since it is the fruit of Siberian pine.
Others represent cedars by majestic giants with spiny elongated multifaceted needles of blue-green tones, sprawling branches and scaly grayish bark.
Such they are in the wild, often found on the shores of the Mediterranean, in forests and on the slopes of the Himalayas. In the natural environment, these representatives of the pine family can reach a height of 50 meters.
Botanists classify cedars as monoecious trees of oligotype genus. They differ in needles gathered in bunches and spirally arranged with needles, barrel-shaped cones elongated cones. Blossom in the fall. The ripened grains of a triangular shape are covered with a thin skin and have large wings. The fruits of this cedar are not edible, they contain many resins.
Domestic cedars can satisfy even the most demanding aesthetes, since they have many forms, differing in size, crown structure, color and needles length.
In the care, cedars, regardless of the breed, add to the list of undemanding groups of plants. For full-fledged vegetation, they need systematic complex feeding every month, spring mulching of tree trunks and regular moistening of air and soil. Spraying is very important for young seedlings. By the way, they need careful preparation for the winter: shelter of branches and tree trunks. It is characteristic that it is impossible to transplant cedars, so you need to seriously approach the choice of the landing site. Planting material is productive only at 6-8 years of age. 
In the early stages of its development, preventive measures are required to prevent fungal diseases. Cedars are very susceptible to rust, which is manifested by red unaesthetic spots on the needles. The treatment is fungicidal. Also, trees are threatened with chlorosis, a particularly high risk of infection in limestone soils. The disease manifests itself by sudden yellowing and lifeless needles, by twisting the branches. Bark beetles and Siberian Hermes live in cedar bark. Affected by these pests copies are no longer subject to salvation. For small foci, treatment with insecticides helps.
Did you know? Mineral substances and vitamins are found in a kilogram of dry conifer needles. In particular, K (20 mg), P (3810 mg), B1 (19 mg), B2 (7 mg), B3 (28 mg), PP (142 mg), B6 (2 mg), H (0.15 mg), C (600 mg). By the way, if the collected needles are put in storage in a cool room with a temperature not higher than 5 degrees, its composition will not become poor at all.
Cedar species
These majestic representatives of coniferous cultures are known to people for more than 250 years. But, oddly enough, still botanists can not come to a single number of species of cedars. According to some, in nature there are only Lebanese cedars, which is explained by the similarity of all mature plants. Others insist on clear distinctions, highlighting in addition the Atlas, Himalayan and short-coniferous species. And the third, on the contrary, do not recognize the short-coniferous breed. Using the experience of reputable international experts who participate in the international project "Catalog of Life" and collected about 85% of information about everything alive on the planet, we follow their classification.
Lebanese cedar
Cedar Lebanese (Cedrus libani) was cultivated in the XVII century. It is characterized by slow development, longevity and adaptation to severe frosts (up to -30 degrees). It grows well even in limestone soil on sunny lawns. A young tree forms a cone-shaped crown, and to the extent of growth, it is transformed into a sprawling with clear tiers of branches. Old copies of the branches are folded into an umbrella. Sprouts with slight firing. Dark green needles with a smoky shade, length of needles up to 3 cm. Cones light brown, up to 12 cm long. Decorative shapes differ in the length and color of the needles:
- "Glauca" (with blue needles);
- "Vreviramulosa" (with long openwork skeletal branches);
- "Stricta" (columnar crown is formed by dense short branches, slightly raised upwards);
- "Pendula" (branches easily fall down);
- "Tortuosa" (different winding main branches);
- "Nana" (dwarf variety);
- "Nana pyramidata" (undersized tree with branches aspiring upwards).
Important! Decorative varieties of coniferous crops, as a rule, are not prone to flowering and seed production. Such specimens are propagated exclusively by cutting, and if it is ineffective, they make a graft on the mother sprout.
Atlas cedar
Cedar Atlas (Cedrus atlantica) characterized by the accelerated growth of young trees, can survive drought and not long-term frosts (up to -20 degrees). Light-requiring Does not tolerate limestone soils and excess moisture. In landscape gardening design, columnar, pyramidal, weeping forms with silver, gold and blue needles are a success. In particular, these varieties:
- "Glauca horizontalis" It has a high decorative effect, blue needles, arched branches. By the way, Atlas cedar glauks belong to elite varieties.
- "Aurea". A tree with a pinion crown and yellow-golden needles. Every year the needles are growing greener.
- "Fastigiata". Tall variety of columnar shape with light green needles.
- "Endula". A characteristic sign of the variety is a smooth columnar shape and a hanging top. Needles green.
Himalayan Cedar
Himalayan cedar trees are represented by a variety of names of ornamental varieties. In nature, this species has a conical crown with a clear number of branches. To the extent of aging, they form a flat top. The culture is developing rapidly, loves moist air, tolerates shadow and adapts to limestone. Although observant growers warn about the effects of chlorosis, which is manifested by yellow spots on the branches. It is also recommended to plant all varieties of Himalayan cedar in a place protected from the wind.
Characteristic features of Himalayan cedar are its soft needles and cones sticking up. In landscape gardening to create original figures, the plant is cut. In addition to the usual varieties, lovers of green decor prefer to plant at home thick conifer or long needle varieties. In nurseries are in demand:
- "Albocpica". Cedar is medium in size with a pyramidal crown. The highlight of the breed is the color of young shoots. At first they are whitish, then with a slight yellowness, at the final stage of development they become bright green.
- "Aurea". Differs yellow shoots that are turning green by autumn. Cones of this breed of the Himalayan cedar change color with bluish to red-brown with age.
- "Golden horizon". Mature tree grows powerful flat crown. The uniqueness of the variety is in the color of conifer needles, whose length reaches 28 mm. On the sunny side they are yellow, and in the shade it is smoky green.
- Prostrata. It is a slow-growing tree with a broad branching crown, flattened at the top. By age 20, the plant reaches only 30 centimeters in height and 75 centimeters in width.
- Kashmir. The variety is popular in cold areas, as it easily tolerates extreme cold.
- "Rygmy". This cedar is famous for its rounded dwarf form and green-blue needles. At the age of 15, the tree grows barely to a 30 centimeter height and 40 centimeter width.
Important! For all types of cedar winter resistance is peculiar. The Himalayan and Lebanese varieties are more enduring in this aspect. The Atlas breed often suffers from heavy snow, which accumulates and breaks branches.
Pines, which are called cedars
People call cedars a number of trees that belong to the genus of pine. These are the so-called European, Siberian, Korean cedars and elfin cedar. Due to poor adaptation to harsh winters, species of European and Korean origin are less commonly cultivated in our latitudes. It is believed that in the care of such pines are very troublesome. Actually, as well as all coniferous cultures, young saplings require careful supervision.
The first five years they need to be watered every summer at least six times. For the winter, cover the crown and tree circle with spruce branches. Twice a year (spring and midsummer) fertilize with biohumus. And also in time to pinch young shoots, forming a crown. Pruning of branches is possible with severe infections with seryanka. To pests do not spoil the plant, you need to regularly remove the showered needles and process drugs containing copper.
European cedar
In scientific literature, it is referred to as pine cedar European (pinus cembra). The tree belongs to the pine family, its name was derived from the analogue of Siberian cedar. Both conifers are more similar to pine trees than cedars. The area of this species is concentrated in the south-east of France and in the region of the High Tatras in the Carpathians. The culture adapts well to shady areas, is frost-resistant (it can survive 40-degree frosts), moisture-loving, prefers fresh clay soils. Externally, it has many similarities with Siberian cedar; it has a smaller stem height, a more spreading crown of ovoid shape and small cones. In their natural form, young plants have a graceful, slightly elongated crown, and as they grow older, they acquire bizarre forms. 
European cedar has more than 100 species, including a lot of decorative ones, distinguished by the shapes and sizes of the crown, color and length of needles.
Did you know? Cedars are on the list of long-lived trees of the planet. The oldest tree of this breed is about three thousand years old.
Siberian cedar
Siberian cedar pine (pínus sibírica) is distinguished by a decorative dense storey crown of a cone-shaped shape, brown-gray scaly bark and brown young shoots, densely covered with red pile. Sprouts shortened, soft needles, triangular dark green with a bluish wax coating. Needle length about 14 cm. A typical sign of the variety is large fruit with tasty nuts. They appear on the 30th year of life. On average, each cone has 50-150 seeds. The species is considered one of the most winter-hardy and shade-tolerant. Decorative forms are mainly planted on light, well-drained soils. Siberian cedar is considered a slow-growing culture, since only 40 days develop in a year. 
Korean cedar
Korean cedar (рinus koraiénsis) is described by description as close to the Siberian and European species. In the wild, it is a tall tree with a brown, rough, flaky bark and a thick, strongly developed crown. Young specimens are shaped like a cone or oval, and mature ones turn into a cylinder or an inverted cone. New sprouts covers red hairiness. The needles reach a length of 20 cm, triangular, smoky green, grow in bunches of 4-5 pieces and keep on the branch for about four years. Cones of Korean pine also produce edible seeds, each of which grows to 150 pieces. In the wild, trees begin to bear fruit after 100 years, and in culture - after 30. The breed is characterized by wind resistance. 
Did you know? A decoction of 30 g of washed conifer needles and 150 ml of boiling water saves one from avitaminosis and cold. All ingredients boil in the summer for 40 minutes, and in the winter for 20, then filter and take daily in 2 - 3 doses. If desired, sweeten the drink with honey. Traditional medicine recommends the tool even for preventive purposes.
Cedar elfin wood
In small adjoining areas and in the backyard, low-growing varieties of pine trees, the so-called cedar elfin (pineus pumila), will look spectacular. Such evergreen bushes can be defined in a rock garden, on a lawn or in a mixborder. These are small plants with spreading branches. Breeders brought a lot of decorative forms, differing in a variety of crowns: tree, creeping, bowl-shaped. In the garden, the breed is well acclimatized in areas protected from the wind. Plant height depends on the variety - ranges from 30 cm -7 meters with a crown diameter of 25 cm - 12 meters. 
The peculiarity of cedar elfin trees consists in very small cones, ripening in the second year, and young shoots directed upwards, which are distinguished by a saturated green color.
