Cedrus (Cedar)

As Other Trees Stand Bare against a Winter Sky, Cedar Keeps Its Broad Evergreen Arms Lifted, Making the Whole Garden Feel Steady and Well-Rooted.

Majestic Evergreen Structure With Real Presence

Cedar (Cedrus) is one of those trees that can completely change how a garden feels, even if you only have room for one. With its broad, layered branches and soft, evergreen needles, it creates a strong, three‑dimensional shape that looks good in every season. Young trees are often almost conical; as they mature, many cultivars broaden into wide, sweeping forms that give a gentle parkland feel, even in a normal back garden. When you catch sight of a cedar from the house on a dull January morning, it’s hard not to feel grateful for that permanent splash of green.

Majestic Evergreen Structure With Real Presence
Beautiful Needles, Cones And Year‑Round Detail
Tough, Long‑Lived And Surprisingly Low‑Fuss

Cedrus at a Glance:

Common name: Cedar

Latin name: Cedrus

Size in UK gardens: Ultimately large trees; many cultivars reach 8–15m tall and wide over several decades, though dwarf and weeping forms can be much smaller. Best treated as long‑term specimens.

Best position: A sunny, reasonably sheltered spot with plenty of space for the chosen form to develop its natural shape, well away from tight corners, overhead lines and very narrow beds.

Soil: Moist but well‑drained, reasonably deep, fertile soil; most cedars prefer slightly acidic to neutral conditions and can struggle on very shallow, chalky or compacted ground.

Flowering time: Not grown for flowers; main interest is evergreen needles, attractive branching and, in maturity, decorative cones that ripen over several seasons.

Hardiness: Generally fully hardy across most of the UK once established; more tender deodar types may appreciate the warmest, most sheltered spots. All resent long periods of waterlogged soil.

Care level: Moderate – low‑maintenance once established, provided you choose the right variety for your space, give it good soil, and avoid heavy pruning.

Sun & Shelter Advice for Cedrus:

☀️ Best light: Cedar is at its best in full sun, where it develops a dense, even crown and good needle colour. Light, open shade is tolerated, but deep shade leads to thin, drawn growth and patchy foliage, especially on lower branches.

☀️ Shelter and walls: Cedars are sturdy trees, but young plants appreciate some shelter from the very harshest, drying winds while they get their roots down. In exposed East Anglian gardens, a position with a hedge, fence or other trees breaking the wind a little is ideal. They don’t need to be against a wall, and in fact prefer open air around the canopy.

☀️ What to avoid: Avoid deep shade under taller trees, very narrow side returns between buildings, and low, boggy hollows. Very thin, baked, south‑facing strips right next to hard paving without decent soil depth are also unhelpful, as cedars like a cooler, more evenly moist root run.

☀️ Where to plant: Think long‑term: good spots include the centre or side of a lawn, the far end of a border, or a prominent corner you see from main windows. Give it enough space that you won’t be tempted to cut into the main framework later to keep it off gutters or paths.

Soil Requirements for Cedrus:

🪏 Preferred soil type: Cedars like a reasonably deep, moisture‑retentive but well‑drained soil with plenty of organic matter. A good garden loam or improved clay suits them well, so long as water doesn’t lie around the roots in winter. They appreciate a cool, moist root zone rather than hot, dry, shallow ground.

🪏 Soil pH and health: Many Cedrus species prefer slightly acidic to neutral soils and may sulk on very shallow, lime‑rich chalk, especially if the soil is thin and drought‑prone. If needles are yellowish and growth is weak despite sensible watering, pH and nutrient balance may be part of the problem. Regular mulching, improved organic matter and, on difficult sites, careful cultivar choice all help.

🪏 Improving tricky spots: Heavy clays and very light, sandy soils both benefit from some preparation before you plant.

• On clay, dig a wide planting area and work in plenty of well‑rotted compost, plus a little grit, to improve structure and drainage so winter wet can move away from the root collar.

• On thin, sandy or rubble‑rich soil, add generous amounts of organic matter to help hold moisture and nutrients, or consider forming a slightly raised “island” bed with improved soil where roots can explore more comfortably.

Cedrus Hardiness:

🍃 General hardiness: Most garden cedars are fully hardy in UK conditions and shrug off ordinary winter cold, frost and snow once established. Cedrus libani and many C. atlantica cultivars cope well with typical Cambridgeshire winters; deodar cedars are slightly softer and appreciate a particularly warm, sheltered spot.

🍃 Cold and foliage damage: Severe cold combined with strong, drying winds can cause some browning at the tips of exposed needles, especially on younger trees or the windward side. Late frosts may nip very soft new growth in spring, but this is usually cosmetic and soon hidden by subsequent growth.

🍃 In cooler or exposed spots: In very open or elevated gardens, give cedar the sunniest, most sheltered position you can, perhaps near but not tight to a boundary hedge. Mulch the root area in autumn to buffer temperature swings and help soil structure. Young trees may benefit from a discreet stake for the first couple of years to prevent wind‑rock while roots anchor.

Garden Uses for Cedrus:

Specimen Tree For Lawns And Vistas: Cedar really comes into its own as a stand‑alone specimen on lawn or gravel, where you can appreciate its outline from all sides. Planted slightly off‑centre or at the end of a path, it becomes a natural focal point that draws the eye in every season.

Evergreen Anchor In Larger Borders: In bigger gardens, a carefully chosen cedar can act as a strong evergreen anchor at the back or centre of a deep border. Flowering shrubs and perennials can then weave around it, using its steady shape as a backdrop and a foil for their more fleeting display.

Conifer And “Mountain” Planting Schemes: Cedars sit beautifully with other conifers, heathers, grasses and tough shrubs in a looser, mountain‑inspired planting. In one section of a garden, this kind of scheme can provide year‑round structure and a cool, restful contrast to more colourful borders.

Statement Tree In Larger Front Gardens: In a generous front garden, a single cedar – especially a blue or weeping form – can be the defining feature of the property. Planted with room to breathe and kept free of heavy pruning, it becomes the tree people recognise and remember your house by.

Wildlife Benefits of Cedrus:

🐝 Pollen And Cone Structure For Insects: Cedars aren’t major nectar plants, but their pollen and the nooks within their needles and cones still contribute to the garden’s insect life. On warm days you may see small insects moving in and around the canopy, particularly as part of a more diverse planting.

🐦‍⬛ Perches, Shelter And Nesting Sites For Birds: The layered branches and dense foliage provide valuable year‑round perching spots and cover for small birds, especially as the tree matures and lifts its canopy. In more open gardens, a cedar can become a key “service station” in the routes birds take across the plot.

🕷 Litter And Micro‑Habitats Under The Canopy: The shaded ground beneath a cedar, with its natural needle litter and mulch, offers hiding places for beetles, spiders and other invertebrates. This quiet life under the tree feeds into a healthier garden food web, providing food for birds and other wildlife.

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Cedrus Care at a Glance:

Planting time: Container‑grown cedars can be planted in most months when the soil isn’t frozen or waterlogged, with autumn and early spring usually easiest. This gives roots time to settle before summer heat or the depths of winter.

Watering: Water regularly for the first couple of years, especially in dry East Anglian spells, so the rootball and surrounding soil stay evenly moist but not waterlogged. Once established in decent soil, cedars usually cope well with normal rainfall, needing extra watering only in prolonged drought.

Feeding: In reasonable garden soil, cedars need very little feeding – a spring mulch of compost or well‑rotted manure is usually enough. On very poor or sandy soils, a light application of balanced, slow‑release fertiliser in early spring can support healthy growth. Avoid heavy, high‑nitrogen feeding.

Pruning: Cedars generally need minimal pruning. Limit yourself to removing dead, damaged or badly placed branches and, if necessary, lifting lower limbs gradually where they obstruct access. Avoid cutting back into old, bare wood or shortening the main leader.

Winter: Established cedars need almost no winter attention beyond a mulch over the root area and an occasional check after strong winds. Minor browning from cold or wind is usually grown out the following season as new needles emerge.

How to Plant a Cedrus:

1. Prepare the hole: Dig a planting hole slightly deeper than the pot and about twice as wide, allowing room for improved soil around the rootball. Choose a position with plenty of space for the tree’s eventual spread and clear of overhead lines or tight corners.

2. Loosen the soil: Use a fork to break up and roughen the base and sides of the hole so they are not smooth and compacted. This helps new roots move into the surrounding soil rather than staying in a tight, pot‑shaped clump.

3. Improve poor or heavy soil: Mix the excavated soil with well‑rotted compost; add a little grit on heavy clay to improve drainage, or extra organic matter on very sandy soils to help hold moisture and nutrients. If the area is prone to winter wet, raise the planting area slightly so the root collar sits above the worst of it.

4. Set the plant in place: Gently remove the cedar from its pot, teasing out circling roots without breaking the rootball apart. Set it in the hole so the top of the rootball is level with, or just a fraction above, the surrounding soil. Avoid burying the trunk deeper than it was in the container.

5. Backfill and firm: Backfill with the improved soil, working it carefully around the roots and firming lightly with hands or boot so the tree stands straight and stable. Aim for good contact without compacting the soil into a solid lump.

6. Support if required: Taller young trees may benefit from a single stake and soft tie on the windward side for the first year or two in exposed gardens. Tie low enough to steady the rootball while still allowing the trunk to flex and strengthen.

7. Water and mulch: Water thoroughly after planting so the soil settles around the roots and any air pockets collapse. Apply a mulch of composted bark or garden compost around the root area, keeping it a few centimetres away from the trunk to avoid trapping moisture against the bark.

Watering & Feeding Cedrus:

💧 Establishing young plants: In the first two or three growing seasons, water during dry weather – often once a week in hot, dry spells – giving a thorough soak each time. The goal is to keep the rooting zone evenly moist, encouraging roots to travel out and down rather than staying in a tight ball.

💧 Once established: A well‑rooted cedar in decent soil usually copes well with normal UK dry periods. In particularly hot, dry summers, especially on lighter soils, an occasional deep soak can help prevent stress and premature needle drop, and supports good, steady growth.

💧 Deep vs light watering: Whenever you do water, aim for a slow, deep soak that reaches right down into the root zone, rather than frequent, light sprinkling of the surface. Deep watering builds resilience by encouraging deeper roots, which cope better with future drought.

💧 Feeding routine: On average soil, a yearly mulch of compost or well‑rotted manure around, but not against, the trunk is usually enough. On very poor or sandy soils, you can add a light scattering of balanced, slow‑release fertiliser in early spring. Avoid over‑feeding, which can encourage soft, sappy growth that is more vulnerable to weather and pests.

🪴 Plants in pots: Only compact, young cedars are really suitable for container growing, and even they will eventually want more space. Use a large, deep pot with a good loam‑based compost, water whenever the top couple of centimetres feel dry, and feed with a slow‑release fertiliser in spring plus occasional liquid feeds in summer. Keep a close eye on watering in hot, windy weather, when pots can dry surprisingly fast.

Pruning Advice for Cedrus:

✂️ Natural habit: Cedars naturally form a strong central trunk with sweeping lateral branches, and they look their best when this character is allowed to develop. They are not conifers that enjoy being clipped into tight shapes or being cut back hard into old wood.

✂️ Best time to prune: Any necessary pruning is best done in late winter or early spring, on a dry, calm day, before the main flush of new growth. Avoid pruning during very hot, dry spells or immediately before severe frosts.

✂️ What to remove: Concentrate on removing dead, damaged, rubbing or awkwardly placed branches. If you need to lift the crown to improve access or views, do it gradually over several years, taking out a few lower branches at a time rather than everything at once. Avoid cutting the main leader unless you accept that the tree’s shape will change permanently.

✂️ Keeping it young and tidy: The key to a tidy cedar is good planning at planting and light, thoughtful pruning rather than heavy cutting. Choose a cultivar whose eventual size suits your garden, give it room to spread, and restrict pruning to gentle tidying. If you’re unsure whether to remove a major branch, it’s often better to leave it and seek advice than to make a drastic cut you can’t undo.

Winter Protection Tips for Cedrus:

❄️ Typical winters: In most UK and Cambridgeshire‑style winters, established cedars need no special protection. They are naturally adapted to cold and snow, and will stand through frost and gales with little sign of stress. A mulch over the root area is mainly for soil health and moisture conservation, rather than warmth.

❄️ Colder or exposed spots: In more exposed or higher gardens, the main concerns are wind‑rock on younger trees and drying winds that can brown needle tips. Ensure stakes and ties are sound in the early years and keep a good mulch over the root area to reduce heaving in freeze‑thaw cycles. Minor browning on the windward side is usually cosmetic and quickly hidden by new growth.

🪴 Plants in pots:

• Move container‑grown cedars into a more sheltered, less windy position during severe cold snaps.

• Wrap the pot (rather than the foliage) with fleece or bubble‑wrap to protect the root ball from repeated freezing and thawing.

• Check drainage holes regularly so the container doesn’t sit in cold, waterlogged compost, which is far more damaging than dry cold.

Cedrus Pests & Diseases:

🌱 General health: In suitable conditions, cedars are generally robust, long‑lived trees with relatively few serious problems in UK gardens. Many issues can be avoided or greatly reduced by choosing the right site, improving drainage and avoiding heavy, unnecessary pruning.

🪲 Common minor pests: Aphids, scale insects and the occasional outbreak of spider mite can appear on cedars, particularly in warm, still weather or on stressed trees. Light infestations are often tolerable; encouraging birds and beneficial insects, gently washing off small colonies, and using wildlife‑friendly controls in containers usually keeps things in check.

🍂 Disease risks: Poor drainage and waterlogged soils can lead to root and collar rots, causing gradual decline. Needle blights and other fungal issues may show up where air circulation is poor or foliage stays damp for long periods. Planting in well‑drained soil, avoiding over‑watering and allowing plenty of space around the canopy all help to prevent these problems.

🍂 Normal vs worrying changes: Some shedding of older inner needles is normal as the tree renews its foliage, and you may see a ring of dropped needles beneath mature branches. Sudden widespread browning of branch tips, dieback of whole limbs, or oozing lesions near the base are more worrying signs and may indicate root or trunk disease that needs further investigation.

🌱 Simple prevention: Choose species and cultivars suited to your soil and climate, plant at the correct depth in free‑draining ground, mulch regularly, and avoid both long‑term drought and standing water. Keep the base free from strimmer and mower damage, and check the tree from time to time so any pest or disease issues are spotted early, when they are easiest to tackle.

Varieties We Usually Stock

Availability is always changing, so please check with us if you have a particular variety in mind.

Acer campestre

Acer campestre 'Elsrijk'

Acer campestre 'Queen Elizabeth'

Acer campestre 'Carnival'

Frequently Asked Questions

It certainly can if you pick the wrong one. Some cedars are full‑sized landscape trees that eventually reach 20m or more, which is far beyond what most suburban gardens can sensibly accommodate. The good news is that many cultivars are more moderate, often topping out around 8–12m over decades, and there are smaller, weeping or dwarf forms that stay much lower. In a typical Cambridgeshire back garden, it’s vital to read the label, check the expected eventual height and spread, and be honest about your available space. Choosing a suitable cultivar at the start is far better than trying to keep a giant under control later.

Cedars generally prefer slightly acidic to neutral conditions and can struggle on very shallow, chalky soils, especially if those soils are also thin and prone to drought. On deeper, reasonably fertile chalk with plenty of organic matter, some species and cultivars will cope, but you may still see less vigorous growth. If you garden on chalk in East Anglia, it’s worth improving the planting area generously with compost and perhaps seeking out forms known to be more lime‑tolerant. Alternatively, consider raised beds with improved soil for smaller cultivars, or choose other conifers that are naturally more at home on alkaline ground.

In most cases, no. Cedars naturally develop attractive, characterful outlines and don’t need regular pruning to look good. In fact, heavy pruning – especially cutting back into older, bare wood or removing the central leader – can leave permanent gaps or an awkward, unbalanced shape. The best approach is to choose a variety whose eventual size fits your garden and limit pruning to removing dead, damaged or clearly problematic branches. If you do need to lift the crown or adjust the shape slightly, do it gently and gradually over a few years rather than with one drastic cut.

You can enjoy a young or dwarf cedar in a large container for a number of years, which can be a lovely way to bring that conifer character into a small courtyard or patio. Use a generous, deep pot with a good loam‑based compost, water and feed with care, and give it a sunny, reasonably sheltered spot. Over time, even a “compact” cedar may outgrow its container and want to stretch its roots, so it’s wise to think of this as a medium‑term arrangement rather than a permanent one. In very small gardens, it may ultimately be kinder to choose a genuinely dwarf conifer bred specifically for long‑term container life.

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