Cedrus atlantica

Cedrus atlanticaAtlas cedar. An Infrared photo. The cedar grows in a neighbor's yard in Berkeley, CA. The mother of this neighbor told me about 25 years ago that she had planted this tree when her son was very young. This would make the tree over 60 years old. It towers above everything else on the block and is a favorite perch for hawks as they survey the area for their next meal. A local flock of turkeys like it for a roost whenever they wander into the neighborhood.

Cedrus atlantica (Glauca Group)Blue Atlas cedar. The species' native range is the Atlas Mountains of Morocco and Algeria where it is found between 1300 and 2600 meters elevation. The species has seen a tremendous range decline since World War II and is now included on the IUCN Red List as endangered. Commercial plantations are now found in Southern France, so it's in no danger of disappearing The Atlas cedar is widely planted as an ornamental. The tree, about 15 meters tall, that provided the twig photographed grows in a front yard in Berkeley, CA.