FAQs About Cedar Trees

Read this article to answer FAQs about cedar trees. Learn about the varieties of trees, famous cedar forests and the scientific names for the popular trees.

Q: How many varieties of cedar trees exist?

A: There are true cedars and false cedars. True cedars exist only in North Africa and Asia. False cedars are the trees that most North Americans are familiar with. The most common false cedars are the red cedar, the Spanish cedar, the white cedar and the port orford cedar. Interestingly enough, the red cedar is actually a juniper bush. Gin is sometimes flavored with the berries that the tree produces, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation.

Q: What are some characteristics of "false" cedars?

A: False cedars grow to an average of 40 feet but some have been known to grow to over 100 feet. The redwood forest is famous for its large cedars and has been mentioned in many books and movies. The trunks are about 3 feet in diameter at maturity and have elongated pine needles on the their branches. Their seeds are spread by falling pine cones.

Q: What is the scientific name of the cedar tree?

A: The cedar is actually a pine tree, falling under the family name of pinaceae. True cedar trees are planted mainly in the United States for purely decorative purposes. When people use the layman's term cedar, they are usually referring to any tree that has fragrant reddish wood and produces pine cones.