The Blue Atlas Cedar (Cedrus Atlantica Glauca) is an evergreen conifer native to the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. It’s a medium-sized tree that can grow up to 40 feet tall and 20 feet wide here in Utah. In other regions of the world it can get even larger. It’s an open, angular tree when young, maturing to a broadly pyramidal, horizontally branched tree.
It offers year-round interest both from a distance and up close. The bark of the Blue Atlas Cedar is a dark gray-brown color, with the inner bark having a reddish hue. The stunning blue-green leaves are needle-like and arranged in rows, with the shape of the leaves varying depending on the age of the tree. Small cones stand vertically on its branches making it look as though it's filled with birds. These cones turn a rusty burgundy color in winter to contrast against its light blue needles.
If 40 feet tall and 20 feet wide is too large for your space, consider the columnar variety (Cedrus Atlantica Glauca 'Fastigiata'). This narrower tree is ideal for almost any landscape in Utah as it adds a unique vertical element to the garden. Growing 20 to 35 feet tall and only 8 to 12 feet wide, it will give you all the same benefits in a smaller footprint.
If you’re looking for something rather different with a ‘Dr. Seuss’ look, you’ll love the Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar (Cedrus Atlantica Glauca 'Pendula'). This unique tree has a sprawling, weeping, drooping form, making it an excellent choice as a focal point tree, bringing a horizontal element to the garden.
Each Blue Atlas Cedar cultivar is incredibly hardy and able to survive in a variety of climates, so it's an ideal choice for gardens, parks, and landscapes. Blue Atlas Cedars are hardy to zone 6, waterwise, and very low maintenance with a moderate growth rate. They enjoy full sun to partial shade, and tolerate secondary water from any source in Utah.
