Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum

Wooden Wonders part 12: Atlas cedar

Posted: February 15, 2012 at 14:18 pm Author: Kate Cashmore

Westonbirt, The National Arboretum, is full of magnificent trees.

As part of our half term Wooden Wonders event taking place from 14 – 16 February, Kate Cashmore from Westonbirt’s learning team has created a trail which will help you find out about our hidden wonders.

Here, she highlights some of the Wooden Wonders that you can discover when you follow the trail.

Atlas cedar

This close relation of the grand Cedar of Lebanon comes from the Atlas mountains of Northern Africa.

It is now being grown as a timber tree in the South of France because it is more tolerant of hot and dry conditions than most conifers. This could make it a useful tree to cope with climate change in Britain.

The heartwood is strongly scented and resinous. It is durable, and the knotty wood that grows in Britain is mainly used for outdoor furniture, gates and fences.

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