The Atlas and Deodar Cedars in Parkfairfax are a long way
from their homes; the forested mountains
of Algeria and Morocco for the Atlas and the Himalayas
for the Deodar.These trees are true
cedars, unlike the Eastern Red Cedar which is actually a juniper.In youth they are pyramidal evergreens.Later they become more flattened with large,
spaced horizontal branches.According to
Dirr, both are popular landscape trees, the Atlas “grand and noble …specimen.”
” the Deodar because of its fast growth and fluffy and dense habit.”Both have needles that are ¾ to 1 ½ inches
long and frosty blue in the Spring.Both
male and female flowers appearing in autumn on the same tree.The fruit produced by both are egg-shaped
cone taking 2-3 years to mature.Our
Deodar Cedar can be found at the south end of Parkfairfax at the intersection
of Valley Drive
and Beverley Drive
and the Atlas at the Shirlington
Circle entrance to Parkfairfax, the intersection
of Martha Custis and Gunston Road.
For more information about and photos of the these two cedars
see the following
Dirr, Michael A./Dirr’s Hardy Trees and Shrubs. Timber
Press.1997. pages 82 and 83
