Cedars, with their distinctive appearance and often aromatic wood, are indeed evergreen trees. They maintain their foliage throughout the year, providing continuous greenery even through colder months.
What Defines an Evergreen Tree?
An evergreen tree is broadly defined as a plant that retains its leaves or needles throughout all seasons. This contrasts with deciduous trees, which shed all their leaves seasonally. Evergreens do not drop all their foliage at once; instead, they shed older leaves gradually over several years as new ones grow.
The foliage of evergreens often features specialized adaptations. Many possess needle-like or scale-like leaves with a waxy coating. This waxy layer helps to reduce water loss through transpiration, which is particularly beneficial in cold climates where water might be frozen and unavailable. Evergreens also continue the process of photosynthesis year-round, although at a slower rate during winter, enabling them to produce energy continuously.
The Evergreen Nature of True Cedars
True cedars belong to the genus Cedrus, and all species within this genus are evergreens. This includes the Atlas Cedar (Cedrus atlantica), Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara), Cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus libani), and Cyprus Cedar (Cedrus brevifolia). Their leaves are needle-like, typically 8 to 60 millimeters long, and are arranged in dense clusters on short shoots, persisting for three to six years. These needles can vary in color from bright green to a glaucous blue-green, often with a protective white wax layer.
True cedars also produce large, distinctive cones that are barrel-shaped and sit upright on the branches. These cones mature over about a year and then disintegrate on the tree to release winged seeds. Young true cedars often exhibit a conical or pyramidal shape, which gradually broadens and develops into a more massive, spreading form with age, featuring horizontal branches.
Beyond True Cedars: Other Trees Called “Cedar”
The term “cedar” is commonly applied to a wide array of coniferous trees that are not botanically classified as true cedars but often share characteristics like aromatic wood or a similar appearance. Many of these “false cedars” are also evergreens. These trees typically belong to different genera and families, most notably the cypress family (Cupressaceae).
The Eastern Redcedar (Juniperus virginiana), which is a juniper, not a true cedar. This evergreen tree features scale-like leaves, though young shoots may have needle-like foliage, and produces small, blue, berry-like cones. Similarly, the Western Redcedar (Thuja plicata) is another evergreen from the cypress family, known for its flattened, scale-like foliage and aromatic wood. Incense Cedar (Calocedrus decurrens) also falls into this category, characterized by its flattened branchlets with overlapping, scale-like leaves that emit an incense-like aroma when crushed. These various trees, while distinct from true cedars, consistently display an evergreen nature.