deodar

views updated Jun 08 2018

deodar (Indian cedar) Conical, evergreen, coniferous tree from the snowy slopes of the w Himalayas, where it has religious significance. Hindus refer to it as the ‘tree of God’. Its spreading branches droop or ‘weep’ at their ends. The leaves are bright green needles, c.5cm (c.2in) long, produced in whorls of between 20 and 30. The bark is very dark brown to black and the cones are held upright. The deodar also grows well in temperate climates. Its wood is used for timber and it yields a fragrant oil. Height: to 61m (200ft). Family Pinaceae; species Cedrus deodara.

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