Cedrus deodara
| Cedrus deodara | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 8 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 108' |
| Width: | 33' |
| Speed: | Moderate |
| Blooms: | Mid Fall-Late Fall |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Medicinal Rating: | |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Cedrus deodara (common name: deodar)
Propagation: Seed - collect the cones in winter and keep in a warm room until they open[1]. Sow immediately in a cold frame[2]. One report says that a short cold stratification of one month improves germination rates[3]. Keep the seed pot moist, but be careful because the young seedlings are very prone to damp off, keep them well ventilated[3]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle. Grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter and plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer. Give them some protection from winter cold for their first winter or two outdoors[K].
Cuttings of terminal shoots can be tried in a frame in November but they are very difficult[3].
Cultivation: Thrives on most soils, being very tolerant of dry sites and of drought when it is established[4][5]. Succeeds in very chalky soils[5]. Prefers a rich loam or a sandy clay in full sun[1]. Succeeds in warm dry areas with less than 40cm of rain a year, but also in areas with cool summers and up to 200cm of rain[5]. Dislikes atmospheric pollution[6]. Plants are fairly wind tolerant[5].
This species is the least hardy of the genus and does not always succeed outdoors in Britain[6] although some clones are hardy down to zone 5 and grow well in this country[5]. The hardiest forms come from the west of its range[4]. Trees thrive best in the cooler and moister areas of Britain[6].
Small trees less than 50cm tall establish much more quickly and better than taller trees, those that are more than 2 metres tall are difficult to establish[5]. Larger trees will check badly and hardly put on any growth for several years. This also badly affects root development and wind resistance[5].
Plants are said to live for up to 600 years in the wild[7].
New growth takes place from May to the end of September and can exceed 1 metre per year, slowing down as the tree gets larger and virtually ceasing by the time the tree is 20 metres tall[8].
This species is sometimes cultivated for timber in some parts of S. Europe[9].
Small male cones are formed on the lower branches of trees, whilst the larger female cones are formed on higher branches[10]. These female cones persist on the tree for 2 - 3 years before breaking up[10].
Trees are notably susceptible to honey fungus[5].
The whole plant is aromatic[11].
Range: E. Asia - Afghanistan to Nepal.
Habitat: Forms forests in the drier areas of the Himalayas at 1800 - 3000 metres[12][4].
Medicinal: The heartwood is carminative, diaphoretic, diuretic and expectorant[13][14]. A decoction of the wood is used in the treatment of fevers, flatulence, pulmonary and urinary disorders, rheumatism, piles, kidney stones, insomnia, diabetes etc[13][15]. It has been used as an antidote to snake bites[13][16].
The plant yields a medicinal essential oil by distillation of the wood, it is used in the treatment of phthisis, bronchitis, blennorrhagia and skin eruptions[17][18][13]. A resin obtained from the wood is used externally to treat bruises, skin diseases and injuries to joints[14].
The bark is astringent. It has proved useful in the treatment of fevers, diarrhoea and dysentery[13][16].
In Ayurvedic medicine the leaves are used in the treatment of tuberculosis[15].
An oil obtained from the seed is diaphoretic[14]. It is applied externally to treat skin diseases[14].
Usage: A fairly wind-tolerant tree, it can be used in shelterbelt plantings[5].
Wood - moderately hard, durable, aromatic, fine and even grained. Resistant to termites, it is used for construction, furniture, boats etc[12][19][20][18][14]. A valuable timber, but a poor fuel, producing a lot of smoke as it burns[12][14].
Pollinators: Wind
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Wind: Tolerates strong winds
Pollution: Does not tolerate environmental pollution.
In Leaf: Evergreen
Seed Ripens: Mid Fall-Early Winter
Flower Type: Monoecious
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ Sheat, Wilfrid. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. St Martin, 1948.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Dirr, Michael and Charles Heuser. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press, 1987.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Rushforth, Keith. Conifers. Batsford, 1991.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ Vines, Robert. Trees of North Texas. University of Texas Press, 1982.
- ↑ Mitchell, Alan. Conifers in the British Isles. Stationery Office Books, 1975.
- ↑ Tutin, Tom et al.. Flora Europaea. Cambridge University Press, 1964.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Bown, Deni. Royal Horticultural Society Encyclopaedia of Herbs and Their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, 1995.
- ↑ Genders, Roy. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale, 1994.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Polunin, Oleg and Adam Stainton. Flowers of the Himalayas. Oxford Universtiy Press, 1984.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 Chopra, R. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, 1986.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5 Manandhar, Narayan. Plants and People of Nepal. Timber Press, 2002.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Chevallier, Andrew. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants. Dorling Kindersley, 1996.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Manandhar, N. Medicinal Plants of Nepal Himalaya. Department of Medicinal Plants, 1993.
- ↑ Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Penguin, 1984.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Gupta, Basant. Forest Flora of Chakrata, Dehra Dun and Saharanpur. Forest Research Institute Press, 1945.
- ↑ Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ Singh, Gurcharan and Premnath Kachroo. Forest Flora of Srinagar. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, 1976.