What Plant Is Cedar? Family and Genus Characteristics Explained at Once

Cedar is one of the world's famous garden ornamental tree species. It has strong dust-proof, noise-reducing and sterilizing abilities, and is also suitable as a greening tree species for industrial and mining enterprises. So, what plant is cedar?

1. What plant is cedar?

Cedar is a plant of the genus Cedrus in the pine family, also known as deodar. It is an evergreen tree with a spire-shaped crown, large branches spreading flat, and small branches slightly drooping. The leaves are needle-shaped, 8-60 cm long, hard in texture, gray-green or silver-gray, scattered on long shoots and clustered on short shoots. It flowers from October to November. The cone matures the following year, elliptical-ovate, reddish-brown when ripe.

2. What are the values of cedar?

1. Landscape use

Cedar is one of the world's famous garden ornamental tree species. It has strong dust-proof, noise-reducing and sterilizing abilities, and is also suitable as a greening tree species for industrial and mining enterprises. The cedar tree is tall with a beautiful tree shape, and is most suitable for being planted as a solitary specimen in the center of a lawn, in the center of a building's front courtyard, in the center of a square, or on both sides of major buildings and at garden gate entrances. The large branches on the lower part of its trunk spread flat from near the ground and do not wither for many years, forming a luxuriant and majestic crown. In addition, planting them in rows on both sides of a garden path forms a corridor, which is also extremely spectacular.

2. Construction timber

Cedar wood is light and soft, contains resin, and is not easily affected by moisture. In its place of origin it is an important construction timber.

3. Medicinal value

Cedar wood contains very abundant essential oil, which can be extracted from wood chips or sawdust by distillation. The main components of cedar oil include A-Cedrene, B-Cedrene, Thujopsene, Sesquiterpenes, cedrol and widdrol. Cedar oil has medical effects such as anti-seborrheic, preservative, sterilizing, tonic, astringent, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, insecticidal and sedative properties.

Cedar's sterilizing, anti-seborrheic and mild astringent effects are the reasons it can effectively treat dandruff and relieve itchy scalp symptoms; its astringent effect can help treat acne and oily rashes. Cedar can also effectively eliminate phlegm and resolve it, and has traditionally been used to treat mucous membrane problems, especially bronchial infections and blockages - it can clear excess phlegm and mucus from the respiratory system, and is said to be very effective; cedar can also be used for symptoms such as arthritis and rheumatism, and can nourish the whole body; it also has an excellent soothing effect on psychological and mental tension, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder and fear and other symptoms.

In addition, spreading the essential oil in the air with an aroma lamp or sprayer can also help treat arthritis, bronchitis, rheumatism and respiratory problems, or nourish the skin.

Cedar also represents a noble, positive and indomitable attitude toward life.