Lebanon cedar

The Lebanon Cedar is an evergreen tree that grows in the mountains near the Mediterranean Sea. Lebanon is known for the Lebanon Cedar, but unfortunately, few still live in Lebanon. The branches grow dark green leaves and it reproduces using cones. Male and female cones live on the same tree. The Lebanon Cedar was used for building King Solomon's temple and is described as a magnificent tree. Because of its hard wood, it is mainly used for construction.

Anatomy
Usually the Lebanon cedar grows to a height of forty to eighty feet. The branches spread out horizontally over the area of thirty to fifty feet. From a distance, the cedar looks like a pyramid, however, it has a flat top. The foliage is between a half inch and one and a half inches in length and resemble needles. They are dark green with hints of blue and appear in clusters of thirty to forty. The trunks are very sturdy, having a beautiful medium texture.

Reproduction
The Lebanon Cedar is a coniferous plant in the group of gymnosperms. It produces cones, called catkins, that are responsible for its reproduction. Catkins are usually reddish brown. Both male and female catkins exist on the same tree. Once the cones are pollinated, they will break apart and allow the seeds to be carried away by the wind. The seeds have wings on them to make them easier to carry. The tree will not let the seed leave the tree until spring. The Lebanon Cedar grows very slowly. Cones are not produced until the tree is 20-40 years old.

Ecology
Most of the forests created by the Lebanon Cedar are pure forests. That means that there are no other kinds of trees in that forest. However, it does sometimes mix with Cilician Firs, European Black Pine, and some species of junipers. It mostly lives in forests of western Syria and Turkey. Only a few still live in Lebanon and can be found at heights of one to two thousand feet. It requires a lot of sun, but not nearly as much water. The Lebanon Cedar has not reached the point of being critically endangered. It is considered a "lower risk" and has stayed off the endangered species list. It can live within temperatures between -15 and 10 degrees Fahrenheit.

Biblical Usage
There are twenty-four references in the Bible that mention the Lebanon Cedar. There are approximately seventy-five references to cedars. Since it is very sturdy and beautiful wood, King Solomon used it to build the temple of God. As 2 Chronicles 2:8 notes, "Send me also cedar, pine and algum logs from Lebanon, for I know that your men are skilled in cutting timber there. My men will work with yours. Solomon also used it to build his own palace. Ezra used it to rebuild the temple.

Related References

 * Lebanon Cedar NC State University
 * Lebanon Cedar Lebanon Cedar
 * Lebanon Cedar Wikipedia