Cedrus, is a genus of coniferous trees in the Pinacea (Pine) Family. They are native to the mountainous regions of the Mediterranean region and western Himalayas, occurring at altitudes of 500–3,200 meters. Cedars are adapted to mountainous climates; in the Mediterranean, they receive winter precipitation, mainly as snow, and summer drought, while in the western Himalaya, they receive primarily summer monsoon rainfall and occasional winter snowfall. Cedrus are tall trees with large trunks and massive, irregular heads of spreading branches. Trees can grow up to 30–40 meters (occasionally 60 m) tall with spicy-resinous scented wood. Cedars are very popular ornamental trees, and are often cultivated in temperate climates where winter temperatures do not fall below −25 °C. The Turkish cedar is slightly hardier, to −30 °C.

There are 4 accepted species of the Cedrus: Cedrus libani (Lebanon Cedar), Cedrus brevifolia (Cyprus Cedar), Cedrus atlantica (Atlas Mountain Cedar), Cedrus deodara (Himalayan Cedar). According to latest research, Cedrus brevifolia probably is not a species but a variety or subspecies of Cedrus libani.

Cedrus libani, is an evergreen conifer that grows over 40 metres tall, with a massive monopodial columnar trunk up to 2.5 meters  in diameter. The tree grows rapidly until the age of 50 years; growth becomes extremely slow after the age of 70. The tree is known for its longevity, can live 600 years or more. It is^[native to Turkiye, Syria and Lebanon, but now found planted, in various locations around the Mediterranean. In Turkiye, occurs from the western Taurus Mountains, east to the province of Hatay, there are also two occurrences near the Black Sea. The tree occurs at elavations of 500-3000 metres of the mountains. One tree known as “Koca Katran” in Kumluca-Antalya is estimated more than 3200 years old.

Cedrus is the Latin name for true cedars, derived from Greek ‘kédros’. The specific epithet ‘libani’ refers to the Lebanon mountain range where the species was first described by French botanist Achille Richard. Cedrus libani is the national emblem of Lebanon, and is displayed on the flag of Lebanon.

The rough and scaly bark of Lebanon Cedar is dark grey to blackish brown, and is run through by deep, horizontal fissures that peel in small chips. The crown is conical when young, becoming broadly tabular with age with level branches; trees growing in dense forests maintain more pyramidal shapes.

Primary branches are massive, often erect, later spreading horizontally; second-order branches usually spreading in horizontal planes. The shoots are dimorphic and are made up of long shoots, which form the framework of the branches, and short shoots, which carry most of the leaves. The leaves are evergreen and needle-like, 8–60 mm long, light to dark green, sometimes glaucous. Leaves on long shoots spirally arranged, radially spreading, more crowded at base of the shoot; on short shoots there are 15–45 leaves together, spreading radially.

Cedrus libani produces cones beginning at around the age of 40. Flowers from June to September; cones ripen in autumn of 2nd year and start shedding  seeds until spring. Male and female cones occur at the ends of the short shoots. Mail cones are solitary, erect, about 4 to 5 cm long when mature from pale green to pale brown colour. Young female seed cones are resinous, sessile, and pale green, when mature, they became woody 8-12 cm long 3-6 cm wide, scaly, resinous, barrel-shaped, and gray-brown in color. Mature cones open from top to bottom,