Cedar of Lebanon
Cedrus libani Native to Asia Minor This tree has received
more publicity than other cedars because it is frequently mentioned
in the Bible. Solomon’s Temple was said to have been built from
its massive timbers. The early Phoenicians made their boats of wood
from this Cedar. At one time, these cedars clothed the mountain slopes
of Lebanon, Syria, and Israel. They were lumbered out centuries ago.
Goats and sheep devoured cedar seedlings and the mountains became barren
except for a few isolated groves of mature trees. Since World War II,
a reforestation program has helped the Cedar make a comeback on the
Israeli mountain slopes. Cedrus libani has an upright growth habit while
its relative Cedrus atlantica has an oval rounded habit at maturity.
