Cedrus atlantica 'Glauca Pendula' / weeping blue Atlas cedar
Cedrus atlantica 'Glauca Pendula' is a fast-growing, irregular-weeping selection of Atlas cedar with dense, cloaked branches holding clusters of powdery steel-blue needles. Its form is extremely controllable with training; it is often seen treated as espalier, ground cover, or most-often as a magnificent solitary specimen.
Even though plants can be slow to develop character, this is definitely not a dwarf conifer. Terminals can extend up to 2 feet (60 cm) on a yearly basis and, over time, will become a massive tree. It is extremely tolerant of xeric conditions and for best performance, must be sited in full sun.
This cultivar likely originated around 1900 as a seedling selected by Paillet Nursery, Chatenay France. Paillet with the assistance of Ludwig Beissner who named and formally described it upon introduction to the nursery trade.
Cedrus atlantica 'Glauca Pendula' at the U.S. National Arboretum, Washington D.C., 2002.
Photo by Bill Barger
Cedrus atlantica 'Glauca Pendula' — a closeup of foliage detail.
Photo by Sandra McLean Cutler
Cedrus atlantica 'Glauca Pendua' — a fantastic mature specimen in an arboretum setting.
Photo by Sandra McLean Cutler
Cedrus atlantica 'Glauca Pendula' — a 1970 accession at the New York Botanical Garden, The Bronx, New York (USDA Hardiness Zone 7a); photo from 2020.
Photo by Katherine Wagner-Reiss
Cedrus atlantica 'Glauca Pendula' — an old meticulously pruned specimen used in an urban landscape on the grounds of Portland Community College, Rock Creek campus.
Photo by Ellen Smart
Comments
Dawn
What is the best fertilizer for the weeping blue atlas cedar?
Maxwell Cohn
is it in the ground or in a pot?
Dawn
Ground
Maxwell Cohn
that makes it easy. Never fertilize unless a soil test indicates a nutritive deficiency. These trees grow out of solid rock in Nature. They're not roses.
Robin Cronin
I don't know if this is the tree that I have but it looks like the pictures I have seen--Cedrus Atlantica Glauca Pendula --weepy, maybe 6' tall, the branches have small groups of needles kind of like tufts. It is mostly droopy, but it has a couple of branches that stand out straight from the top but don't droop. The tree is planted by my front door, so I'd prefer that the branches droop rather than stick out...do I trim them off or do something else? Thank you for any advice you have on how to care for or maintain the shape of this tree.
Maxwell Cohn
This is a pretty aggressively growing plant. I'm not sure that it's appropriate to site it so close to the house. You can prune it, but you have to be vigilant. Take a look at the examples in the galleries. These things get pretty massive!
Nadia
At my parents house there is a very large one of these in our yard, about as tall as our one story house! We want to propagate it. Is it possible to do this from cuttings and what is the best method? I have only seen information on seed propagation on the internet.
Maxwell Cohn
hi Nadia. These are propagated by grafting.
Scully
Can this tree be kept in a pot? Thank you.
Maxwell Cohn
you're going to need a HUGE pot. Some of the plants in the gallery have a 1/4-acre spread.
Rosemary
the last 4 feet of my blue atlas beginning just before the arch begins is dead...it was planted as a new plant 2 years ago by the previous homeowner. The first 3.5 feet seem to be thriving. What do I do ?
Maxwell Cohn
you should prune away the dead parts.
Brenda
I just bought one of these trees. I want to make sure I give it the correct care and soil. Our soil is a sandy clay mixture. I am wondering what should I put in the soil, if anything, to make sure it drains well enough for the tree?
Maxwell Cohn
given that within several years, the roots of this tree will spread to a radius of several feet, there's little that can be done permanently alter your natural soil structure. If the soil drains, don't worry about it. If it doesn't drain, then you may need to re-think your choice of tree to plant.
Comments
What is the best fertilizer for the weeping blue atlas cedar?
is it in the ground or in a pot?
Ground
that makes it easy. Never fertilize unless a soil test indicates a nutritive deficiency. These trees grow out of solid rock in Nature. They're not roses.
I don't know if this is the tree that I have but it looks like the pictures I have seen--Cedrus Atlantica Glauca Pendula --weepy, maybe 6' tall, the branches have small groups of needles kind of like tufts. It is mostly droopy, but it has a couple of branches that stand out straight from the top but don't droop. The tree is planted by my front door, so I'd prefer that the branches droop rather than stick out...do I trim them off or do something else? Thank you for any advice you have on how to care for or maintain the shape of this tree.
This is a pretty aggressively growing plant. I'm not sure that it's appropriate to site it so close to the house. You can prune it, but you have to be vigilant. Take a look at the examples in the galleries. These things get pretty massive!
At my parents house there is a very large one of these in our yard, about as tall as our one story house! We want to propagate it. Is it possible to do this from cuttings and what is the best method? I have only seen information on seed propagation on the internet.
hi Nadia. These are propagated by grafting.
Can this tree be kept in a pot? Thank you.
you're going to need a HUGE pot. Some of the plants in the gallery have a 1/4-acre spread.
the last 4 feet of my blue atlas beginning just before the arch begins is dead...it was planted as a new plant 2 years ago by the previous homeowner. The first 3.5 feet seem to be thriving. What do I do ?
you should prune away the dead parts.
I just bought one of these trees. I want to make sure I give it the correct care and soil. Our soil is a sandy clay mixture. I am wondering what should I put in the soil, if anything, to make sure it drains well enough for the tree?
given that within several years, the roots of this tree will spread to a radius of several feet, there's little that can be done permanently alter your natural soil structure. If the soil drains, don't worry about it. If it doesn't drain, then you may need to re-think your choice of tree to plant.