Cedrus atlantica 'Sahara Ice' is an intermediate-sized selection of Atlas cedar with widespread, architecturally pleasing branching and blue-green needles that push white in the spring, later fading by summer to variegated white at the needle tips, then by fall, only showing white to gray at the branch tips. After 10 years of growth, a mature specimen will measure 7 feet (2 m) tall and 3.5 feet (1 m) wide, an annual growth rate of 6 to 8 inches (15 - 20 cm).
This cultivar originated as one of two variegated seedlings selected in the early 1990s by Bill Jannsen of Collectors Nursery, Battle Ground, Washington; the other being 'Sahara Frost.' 'Sahara Ice' is known to be the slower-growing of the two.
Bob Fincham in his 2016 book, Gone but not Forgotten, conveys that Bill thought that, "when one thinks of the Sahara Desert, ice would be far from your thoughts;" and that Bill often tried to come up with incongruous names for his introductions.
