Cedar, Horstmann Blue Atlas Cedrus atlantica 'Horstmann' Height: 15 feet Spread: 10 feet
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: 5b Description: A tremendous, semi-dwarf variety, with a more irregular, upright habit and silvery-blue needles; an excellent choice for smaller landscapes Ornamental Features Cedar, Horstmann Blue Atlas is primarily valued in the landscape for its characteristic tiered habit of growth. It has attractive silvery blue evergreen foliage. The needles are highly ornamental and remain silvery blue throughout the winter. Landscape Attributes Cedar, Horstmann Blue Atlas is an open evergreen tree with a stunning habit of growth which features almost oriental horizontally-tiered branches. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage. This is a relatively low maintenance tree, and can be pruned at anytime. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics. Cedar, Horstmann Blue Atlas is recommended for the following landscape applications; Planting & Growing Cedar, Horstmann Blue Atlas will grow to be about 15 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 10 feet. It has a low canopy, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 60 years or more. This tree should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. This plant should be periodically fertilized throughout the active growing season with a specially-formulated acidic fertilizer. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America, and parts of it are known to be toxic to humans and animals, so care should be exercised in planting it around children and pets. Clean up Rating (1-5) 1=least effort 5=most effort Clean Up Rating (3): Interior needles can shed in the autumn or spring. Clean up by blowing or raking onto the lawn then mowed or bagged. Cedars have male and female reproductive parts on one tree. 1 3/4-2 inch Male flowers are catkins or pollen cones and are on lower branches in autumn. Blue female cones grow upright on higher branches getting 2 to 3 inches long and 2 inches wide, taking 2 years to mature. Clean up by raking and bagging the cones. Evergreens need to be watered during the winter. Our desert climate especially in late winter to early spring evergreens can suffer during next growing season. An easy way to remember check for dryness on the holidays Halloween, Thanksgiving, New Year's Day, Valentines Day & Easter. During the growing season maintain regular deep watering.
