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Himalayan cedar is a luxurious conifer that can be grown without any problems in regions with a warm and humid climate. This long-lived tree will decorate a summer cottage or city street for hundreds of years, becoming more majestic and beautiful every year.
Description of Himalayan cedar
Himalayan cedar or deodara (Cedrus deodara) is a magnificent representative of the Pine family. Its natural habitat is considered to be the mountainous regions of Central Asia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, as well as some European countries - the Czech Republic, Germany, Austria. In nature, Himalayan cedar can live up to a thousand years of age without losing its majesty and decorativeness. Some of them, mixed with evergreen oaks, fir, spruce, pine and other types of conifers, are located at 3-3.5 km above sea level.
In the early years, Himalayan cedar has a rapid growth rate; with age, the annual growth gradually decreases. A mature deodar tree is over 50 m tall and 3 m across.Young cedar forms a wide cone-shaped crown with a rounded top without characteristic tiers; older specimens have a more rounded shape.
The branches are located at 90° relative to the trunk, the ends droop to the ground. The needles of the Himalayan cedar or deodar grow in a spiral in the form of long single needles or bunches. Deodar needles have an elastic, dense structure and clearly defined edges. There is a gloss on the surface of the needles, the color varies from green and bluish to silver-gray.
Himalayan cedar or deodar is a monoecious plant. In autumn, pollen ripens in small male cones, which fertilizes more massive female cones.
Deodar cones grow at the top of the crown, are located at the ends of the branches, 1-2 pieces each, their tips are turned towards the sun. The shape of a female pine cone resembles an oblong barrel with a diameter of 5-7 cm and a length of about 13 cm. As they ripen, which lasts 1.5 years, they change color from blue to reddish-brown or brick. In the 2-3rd year, the scales come off, allowing the ripened seeds to fall out. The shape of the Himalayan cedar or deodar seed is similar to an elongated whitish egg, length - up to 17 mm, width - up to 7 mm. Each seed has a light brown, wide, shiny wing, thanks to which they can be carried over considerable distances and germinate hundreds of meters from the mother plant.
Varieties of Himalayan cedar
In landscape design, in addition to the natural form of Himalayan cedar, its artificially bred varieties are often used. The table below lists the most popular varieties of deodar.
Variety name | Distinctive features |
Argentea | Silver-blue needles |
Aurea | The conical shape of the crown, the size is much smaller than the natural shape, the needles are yellow, which gradually turns green closer to autumn |
Bush's Electra | The branches are located vertically upward, the color of the needles is deep blue. Grows well in shaded areas |
Crystal Falls | Drooping weeping branches, soft blue-green needles |
Deep Cove | Slow growing variety, semi-dwarf. The color of young needles is creamy white. Resistant to sunburn |
Divinely Blue | The crown shape is narrow-conical, the needles are blue, the young shoots are gray-green. Annual growth is no more than 15 cm, the height of an adult plant is 2-2.5 m, diameter is 90 cm. The variety has good frost resistance |
Gold Cone | The crown is formed in the form of a narrow pyramid, the needles are yellow-green. An adult specimen reaches a height of 2 m. This variety of Himalayan cedar is considered fast-growing |
Golden Horizon | Spreading flat crown, gray-green needles, yellow or light green when grown in sunny areas. At 10 years of age, the cedar reaches a height of 4.5 m |
Karl Fuchs | The crown is wide-conical, the needles are blue-blue. An adult tree reaches a height of 10 m. The variety is considered the most winter-hardy, cedar can withstand temperatures down to -30°C |
Pendula | A weeping variety of cedar with green needles and branches falling to the ground. Reaches a height of 8 m. Prefers areas with partial shade |
Pygmy | Dwarf cedar with a rounded crown. The color of the needles is green-blue. At 15-17 years old, the tree does not exceed a height of 30 cm with a diameter of 40 cm |
Prostrate Beauty | Characterized by horizontal growth, delicate blue-green needles |
Repandens | According to its characteristics, the variety is similar to Pendula, the only difference is the color of the needles - they are grayish-green |
Silver Mist | Dwarf Himalayan cedar with decorative silver-white needles. At 15 years old, the tree is about 60 cm high with a crown diameter of 1 m |
Snow Sprite | Conical, dense crown, the color of young shoots is white |
More often than the deodar varieties described above, you can find Himalayan cedar Feeling Blue in garden plots. This is a dwarf form with greenish-blue needles, in adult form not exceeding 50-100 cm in height with a crown diameter of up to 1.5-2 m. A description of the Filing Blue deodar cedar would be incomplete without mentioning its relatively good frost resistance (up to - 25°C) and drought resistance. Deodar of this variety grows better in open sunny areas or in partial shade; it is not picky about the composition of the soil.
Deodar in landscape design
Himalayan cedar or deodar is often used for urban landscaping in the southern regions of Russia, in particular in Crimea. As each tree grows, it takes on an individual shape, which is the main attraction of this variety. Deodar is planted in masses, groups and singly. Young Himalayan cedars can be used to create a hedge; some varieties are excellent for creating bonsai and topiary-style compositions.
Growing Himalayan cedar
The majestic and monumental deodar began to be grown in botanical gardens since the end of the 19th century. Nowadays, Himalayan cedar is a common park plant in southern cities. Thanks to the efforts of breeders, it became possible to grow deodar in cooler climates. In order for the Himalayan cedar to grow and develop well, the tree needs to create conditions similar to natural ones:
- moderately warm climate;
- regular and abundant watering;
- humid and warm air.
Preparing seedlings and planting area
Himalayan cedar seedlings are planted in a permanent place at the age of 3 years. If the plants were grown in a greenhouse, they must be hardened off by exposing them to air before planting.
A well-lit or slightly shaded place will be suitable for planting deodar. Himalayan cedar is not picky about soil composition, but grows better on well-drained light loams with deep groundwater.
A hole for the Himalayan cedar is dug at least 3 weeks before planting. The soil is dug up within a radius of 3 m from the planting site; the dimensions of the recess itself should be 1.5-2 times larger than the seedling’s earthen ball. The soil is mixed with rotted manure, peat, wood ash and sand and left in the hole to settle.
Rules for planting Himalayan cedar
Himalayan cedar is planted in early spring, when the buds on the branches are still dormant. If you plant deodar in the fall, you need to focus on deciduous trees - they should completely lose their leaves.
The deodar seedling is carefully removed from the container, slightly tilted, placed in the hole and the twisted roots are straightened. Young cedar is sprinkled with nutritious soil, compacted, watered abundantly and mulched. It is important to maintain the correct orientation of the deodar relative to the cardinal directions. The most developed and fluffy part of the crown should be turned to the south.
Sometimes in nurseries you can find 8-9-year-old Himalayan cedars up to 7 m high. It is better to replant such specimens with a closed root system in winter.
Watering and fertilizing
In the summer months, it is necessary to water the Himalayan cedar so that the soil is never too dry, but there should also not be stagnation of moisture. Fertilizers are applied to the deodar 3 times per season, starting from the end of April. Until mid-August, Himalayan cedar is fed with complex mineral fertilizers with a large proportion of nitrogen; from July, potassium and phosphorus are added to the fertilizer composition.
Mulching and loosening
The tree trunk circle of deodar must be loosened and removed from time to time weeds. It is not recommended to plant annual and perennial grasses nearby, since they take away the nutrients necessary for the Himalayan cedar from the soil. Forest litter taken from under birch, alder or hazel, as well as sawdust, peat or compost, are suitable as mulch. Every spring, the old mulch is removed and disposed of, replacing it with new one.
Trimming
In the conditions of a summer cottage, pruning of deodar is carried out only for sanitary purposes, removing dried and damaged branches. The procedure is carried out in the spring before new shoots bloom. Cardinal pruning is carried out in September, when the summer heat has given way to autumn coolness. After the crown has formed, the Himalayan cedar will have enough time to heal its wounds and recover.
Preparing for winter
From the beginning of August, fertilizing based on nitrogenous fertilizers is stopped so as not to provoke the growth of new shoots, which will not have time to get stronger before the cold weather and will freeze. In regions where winters are harsh and snowless, it is important to water the Himalayan cedar abundantly in the fall so that when the weather warms up, the tree has an adequate supply of water. The spring sun encourages the needles to evaporate more moisture, and if there is a lack of moisture, the needles will inevitably begin to dry out.
The main problem when growing deodar in temperate latitudes is to preserve and protect the cedar from winter cold. This is especially true for young seedlings. When the temperature outside the window stays below 0°C for a week, the Himalayan cedar needs to be covered urgently. The tree trunk circle is mulched with sawdust and covered with spruce branches. The branches are tied with twine or wrapped in netting to prevent them from breaking under the weight of snow. Young Himalayan cedars, which have not yet fully formed the root system, are fixed with guy wires. It is better to use ordinary burlap as a covering material, since lutrasil or similar non-woven material can cause damping off during a thaw. Often, something like a house is built around the Himalayan cedar to prevent cold winds from damaging it.
Reproduction
Deodar in nature reproduces by self-seeding, but you can get a new plant by grafting. Most often, Himalayan cedar is propagated by seeds. They do not require stratification; to speed up germination, it is enough to soak them in warm water for 2-3 days. Some gardeners place soaked seeds in damp sand and put them on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for a month.
The seeds are sown in containers with a peat-sand mixture, covered with film and placed in a room at room temperature. In greenhouse conditions, seedlings are grown for 2-3 years, providing the following necessary parameters:
- good illumination and additional lighting;
- increased humidity levels;
- timely watering;
- daily ventilation;
- difference between day and night temperatures in the range of 10-25°C;
- crown formation.
Diseases and pests
Himalayan cedar can suffer from diseases such as:
- rust;
- white root rot;
- brown central rot;
- brown prismatic rot;
- resin cancer;
- chlorosis.
To combat fungal infections, deodar plantings can be treated with a solution of Bordeaux mixture or a systemic fungicide. Affected areas of the crown are cut out and disposed of. To eliminate chlorosis that occurs due to the presence of lime in the soil, the water is acidified during irrigation, and the circle around the trunk is mulched with pine litter or high-moor peat.
Weakened deodars can be attacked by pests such as:
- pine Hermes;
- pine aphid;
- ordinary engraver;
- common scale insect;
- pine moth.
To combat unwanted insects on deodar, systemic insecticides are used, diluted strictly according to the instructions.
Conclusion
Growing Himalayan cedar in your garden is not a big hassle. This powerful and majestic conifer is often called the “tree of optimists and lovers of life.” After all, the one who planted it will have to be content with only a description and photo of the Himalayan cedar, and only the gardener’s children and grandchildren will be able to fully enjoy its natural beauty, because compared to the longevity of the deodar, human life is too short.
