Practical
Plants

Cedrus deodara

Deodar

a perennial woody evergreen member of the Cedrus genus in the family Pinaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Pinaceae
Genus
Cedrus
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
moderate
Height
33 m
Spread
10 m
Fertility
Wind
Flower type
monoecious
Pollinators
Wind

Uses

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The heartwood is carminative, diaphoretic, diuretic and expectorant[10][14]. A decoction of the wood is used in the treatment of fevers, flatulence, pulmonary and urinary disorders, rheumatism, piles, kidney stones, insomnia, diabetes etc[10][13]. It has been used as an antidote to snake bites[10][11]. The plant yields a medicinal essential oil by distillation of the wood, it is used in the treatment of phthisis, bronchitis, blennorrhagia and skin eruptions[15][5][10]. A resin obtained from the wood is used externally to treat bruises, skin diseases and injuries to joints[14]. The bark is astringent. It has proved useful in the treatment of fevers, diarrhoea and dysentery[10][11]. In Ayurvedic medicine the leaves are used in the treatment of tuberculosis[13]. An oil obtained from the seed is diaphoretic[14]. It is applied externally to treat skin diseases[14].

Product or use
Antidote
Product or use
Astringent
Product or use
Carminative
Product or use
Diaphoretic
Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Skin
Product or use
TB

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A fairly wind-tolerant tree, it can be used in shelterbelt plantings[7]. Wood - moderately hard, durable, aromatic, fine and even grained. Resistant to termites, it is used for construction, furniture, boats etc[17][18][4][5][14]. A valuable timber, but a poor fuel, producing a lot of smoke as it burns[17][14].

Product or use
Wood

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Canopy

Windbreak

Environment

Range
E. Asia - Afghanistan to Nepal.
Habitat
Forms forests in the drier areas of the Himalayas at 1800 - 3000 metres[17][20].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 8+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline, very alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
high wind, drought
Wind
Yes
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
tolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - collect the cones in winter and keep in a warm room until they open[1]. Sow immediately in a cold frame[19]. One report says that a short cold stratification of one month improves germination rates[3]. Keep the seed pot moist, but be careful because the young seedlings are very prone to damp off, keep them well ventilated[3]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle. Grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter and plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer. Give them some protection from winter cold for their first winter or two outdoors[K]. Cuttings of terminal shoots can be tried in a frame in November but they are very difficult[3].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Thrives on most soils, being very tolerant of dry sites and of drought when it is established[20][7]. Succeeds in very chalky soils[7]. Prefers a rich loam or a sandy clay in full sun[1]. Succeeds in warm dry areas with less than 40cm of rain a year, but also in areas with cool summers and up to 200cm of rain[7]. Dislikes atmospheric pollution[2]. Plants are fairly wind tolerant[7]. This species is the least hardy of the genus and does not always succeed outdoors in Britain[2] although some clones are hardy down to zone 5 and grow well in this country[7]. The hardiest forms come from the west of its range[20]. Trees thrive best in the cooler and moister areas of Britain[2]. Small trees less than 50cm tall establish much more quickly and better than taller trees, those that are more than 2 metres tall are difficult to establish[7]. Larger trees will check badly and hardly put on any growth for several years. This also badly affects root development and wind resistance[7]. Plants are said to live for up to 600 years in the wild[8]. New growth takes place from May to the end of September and can exceed 1 metre per year, slowing down as the tree gets larger and virtually ceasing by the time the tree is 20 metres tall[6]. This species is sometimes cultivated for timber in some parts of S. Europe[16]. Small male cones are formed on the lower branches of trees, whilst the larger female cones are formed on higher branches[9]. These female cones persist on the tree for 2 - 3 years before breaking up[9]. Trees are notably susceptible to honey fungus[7]. The whole plant is aromatic[12].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  2. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  3. Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0942375009

    ↩1↩2↩3

  4. Singh. Dr. G. and Kachroo. Prof. Dr. P. Forest Flora of Srinagar. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh 1976-00-00

    ↩

  5. Gupta. B. L. Forest Flora of Chakrata, Dehra Dun and Saharanpur. Forest Research Institute Press 1945-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  6. Mitchell. A. F. Conifers in the British Isles. HMSO 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-11-710012-9

    ↩

  7. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8↩9

  8. Vines. R.A. Trees of North Texas University of Texas Press. 1982-00-00 ISBN 0292780206

    ↩

  9. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩1↩2

  10. Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  11. Medicinal Plants of Nepal Dept. of Medicinal Plants. Nepal. 1993-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  12. Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8

    ↩

  13. Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996-00-00 ISBN 9-780751-303148

    ↩1↩2

  14. Manandhar. N. P. Plants and People of Nepal Timber Press. Oregon. 2002-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-527-6

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  15. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩

  16. ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964-00-00

    ↩

  17. Polunin. O. and Stainton. A. Flowers of the Himalayas. Oxford Universtiy Press 1984-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  18. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩

  19. Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00

    ↩

  20. Rushforth. K. Conifers. Christopher Helm 1987-00-00 ISBN 0-7470-2801-X

    ↩1↩2↩3

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