Cedrus deodora, Himalayan cedar seeds

Himalayan cedar

Cedrus deodara is also known as Himalayan cedar. That is due to the fact that it is beside Nepal and India native to the Himalayas. In the Himalayans Cedrus deodara occurs till 3000 m above sea level. However the Himalayan cedar got nearly extinct in its natural habitat. Cedrus deodara can reach a height of 35 m in nature. In Germany it stays a little bit smaller. In its first 10 years the Himalayan cedar grows fast, reaching 10 m after 10 years. With aging growing slows down. The habitus of Cedrus deodara is bushy and cone- shaped. This makes the Himalayan cedar especially an eye catcher even if it is planted solitary. The bark is grayish and scaly; the branches grow horizontal to the trunk, generating an angle of almost 90°. The wood was used in India to build ships. Cedrus deodara has the longest needles of all cedar species. In young years the needles are soft and flexible. With aging they get darker. The Himalayan cedar is mostly diecious. The male flowers are cylindric and yellowish to reddish in color whereas the female flowers are light green and longish. After pollination it takes one year until the Himalayan cedar bears fruits and another two years until the fruits are ripe. In Europe it is quite infrequent to see a Cedrus deodara flowering. It is cultivated there because of its nice habitus. The Himalayan cedar does not tolerate very cold winters like they are usual in parts of Europe. It needs some protection during winter especially if it is still young.

Before planting, the seeds of the Himalayan cedar need stratification. Therefore the seeds should be put into the fridge for about 3 to 4 days. After that they can be planted into the substrate. The germination starts in constantly moist substrate after just 1 to 2 month. The adult tree grows also on nutrient poor soils.