Where Do Cedar Trees Grow? Native Ranges by True Species
Last updated August 2026. True cedars (genus Cedrus) grow wild in only four places on Earth — Lebanon, North Africa’s Atlas Mountains, the island of Cyprus, and the western Himalayas — but the trees most Americans call “cedar,” like Eastern Red Cedar and Western Red Cedar, are actually junipers and thujas native across North America. Mixing up the two means buying the wrong species for a fence, closet, or landscape. This guide maps where each real cedar and cedar look-alike actually grows, species by species.
What Makes a Tree a “True” Cedar?
Cedar (genus Cedrus) is a small group of evergreen conifers that produces aromatic wood and grows natively only in mountain climates around the Mediterranean and the Himalayas. Only four species carry the name legitimately, and none of them is native to North America — every “cedar” tree growing wild in the United States belongs to a different genus entirely (Juniperus, Thuja, or Chamaecyparis) that simply shares the common name. For how the resulting wood performs and what to know about caring for it, see our full cedar wood guide hub.
“The true cedars (genus Cedrus) are valuable timber trees and striking specimen plantings in the urban landscape.”
Here’s the full split between real Cedrus species and the North American look-alikes that borrow the name:
| Common Name | Actual Genus | True Cedar? | Native Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar of Lebanon | Cedrus libani | Yes | Lebanon, western Syria, south-central Turkey |
| Atlas Cedar | Cedrus atlantica | Yes | Atlas Mountains, Morocco & Algeria |
| Deodar Cedar | Cedrus deodara | Yes | Western Himalayas (India, Nepal, Afghanistan) |
| Cyprus Cedar | Cedrus brevifolia | Yes | Troodos Mountains, Cyprus only |
| Eastern Red Cedar | Juniperus virginiana | No — a juniper | 37 U.S. states east of the 100th meridian |
| Western Red Cedar | Thuja plicata | No — an arborvitae | Pacific Northwest (WA, OR, BC, northern ID) |
| Australian Red Cedar | Toona ciliata | No — a mahogany relative | Subtropical rainforests, Queensland & New South Wales |
Where True Cedars (Cedrus) Grow Natively
All four Cedrus species share the same growing conditions: mountainous terrain, winter rain, and dry summers. None of them are native anywhere in the Americas.
Cedar of Lebanon: The Mediterranean’s National Emblem
The Cedar of Lebanon grows in scattered mountain groves in Lebanon, western Syria, and south-central Turkey, and remains the country of Lebanon’s national emblem. Old-growth stands like the Cedars of God forest are protected UNESCO World Heritage sites — some trees are estimated at over 1,000 years old. For a closer look at how many remain and where, see how many cedar trees are left in Lebanon.
Atlas, Cyprus, and Deodar Cedars
Atlas cedar grows wild only in Morocco and Algeria’s Atlas Mountains, typically above 4,000 feet elevation. Cyprus cedar is even more restricted — it exists only in the Troodos Mountains of Cyprus. Deodar cedar, the largest of the four, grows across the western Himalayas from Afghanistan through northern India and Nepal, often at elevations above 8,000 feet. All three, along with Lebanon cedar, have been planted ornamentally (not natively) in parks and estates in the UK, Ireland, and the U.S. since the 1700s — the Cedar of Lebanon at Kew Gardens, planted in 1762, is a well-known example.
Where North American “Cedars” Actually Grow
Every cedar tree native to North America is a case of mistaken identity botanically — but the name has stuck for centuries, and the wood is genuinely useful for the same reasons true cedar is: natural rot resistance and aromatic oils.
Eastern Red Cedar: Coast to Great Plains
Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) is the most widely distributed conifer in the eastern half of the country, ranging from the Atlantic coast west to Nebraska and South Dakota, and south through Texas and northern Florida.
📊 Eastern Red Cedar is the most widely distributed conifer of tree size in the Eastern United States, occurring in every state east of the 100th meridian — 37 states in total. — Source: USDA Forest Service Silvics Manual
Western Red Cedar: Pacific Northwest Old-Growth
Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata) grows in the cool, wet coastal and inland forests of Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, and northern Idaho and Montana. It reaches far larger sizes than its eastern counterpart — old-growth specimens on Vancouver Island exceed 60 feet in circumference — and its lumber is the standard choice for outdoor siding, shingles, and fencing across the U.S.
Southern & Texas Cedar Populations
Southern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana var. silicicola) and Ashe juniper (locally just called “cedar”) dominate central and western Texas hill country, where dense cedar brakes are common enough to trigger the region’s notorious “cedar fever” pollen allergy season each winter.
Best Cedar Tree Sapling Pick
Eastern Red Cedar Tree, 10–16″ Live Plant – $28.99
The same species covered above — native to 37 states east of the 100th meridian — shipped as an established quart-pot plant instead of a seed, so it skips the slow germination stage.
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- Main drawback: slow to reach full privacy-screen height — expect several years of growth before it’s a real windbreak
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Cedar Trees in Asia, Australia, and the British Isles
Outside the Mediterranean, Himalayas, and North America, a handful of unrelated conifers and hardwoods carry the “cedar” name in local usage:
- Japanese Cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) — native to Japan’s temperate, high-rainfall forests; not a true cedar, and not even a juniper — its own genus.
- Australian Red Cedar (Toona ciliata) — grows in subtropical rainforest in Queensland and New South Wales; botanically a mahogany relative, prized for furniture-grade timber.
- Incense Cedar (Calocedrus decurrens) — native to the mountains of California, Oregon, and Nevada; the wood most pencils are made from.
- Port Orford Cedar (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana) — a narrow native range along the California–Oregon coast, increasingly threatened by root-rot disease.
Florida has its own regional mix of native and introduced species — see which cedar trees grow in Florida for the breakdown by species and region.
None of these are native to the British Isles either, but true cedars (Atlantic and Lebanon) have been planted there as ornamentals since the 1600s — the oldest specimens in UK parks and estates now exceed 300 years old.
Can You Grow a Cedar Tree Outside Its Native Range?
Yes, within limits. True Cedrus species tolerate USDA zones 6–9 and have been grown successfully well outside the Mediterranean and Himalayas, including in the southern and mid-Atlantic U.S. Eastern Red Cedar and Western Red Cedar are far more forgiving and are commonly planted well beyond their native range as windbreaks, hedges, and privacy screens — the key requirements for either are full sun and soil that doesn’t stay waterlogged.
Conservation and Threats to Wild Cedar Populations
True cedars face real pressure in their native ranges: deforestation, drought linked to climate change, and outbreaks of cedar bark beetles have all reduced old-growth stands in Lebanon and the Atlas Mountains over the past century. The Global Trees Campaign lists Atlas cedar and Lebanon cedar among its priority conservation species, working with local reforestation programs to protect remaining habitat. Eastern and Western Red Cedar populations in North America, by contrast, are abundant and in some regions — especially the Great Plains — actively expanding, which land managers now treat as an invasive-encroachment problem on native grassland rather than a conservation concern.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is cedar most commonly found?
True cedar (Cedrus) is most common in Lebanon, Turkey, Morocco, and Algeria’s Atlas Mountains, and the western Himalayas. If you mean North America’s Eastern Red Cedar, it’s most common across the eastern and central U.S., especially Texas, Missouri, and the Great Plains.
Where in the US do cedar trees grow?
Eastern Red Cedar grows in 37 states east of the 100th meridian, from Maine to Florida and west to Nebraska and Texas. Western Red Cedar is native only to Washington, Oregon, northern Idaho, and Montana.
Can cedar trees grow anywhere?
No. True cedars need a mountain climate with winter rain and dry summers, which limits them to USDA zones 6–9. Eastern Red Cedar is far more adaptable and tolerates most U.S. climates except the driest deserts and coldest northern zones.
Is Eastern Red Cedar a true cedar?
No. Eastern Red Cedar is Juniperus virginiana — a juniper, not a member of the true cedar genus Cedrus. It earned the “cedar” name from early settlers because of its aromatic, rot-resistant wood, which resembles true cedar in use even though the tree is unrelated.
What is the best location for a cedar tree?
Cedar trees, true or otherwise, need well-drained soil and at least six hours of direct sun daily. Avoid low spots that collect standing water — root rot is the most common cause of death for cedar plantings outside their native range.
Why is Eastern Red Cedar considered invasive in some states?
Fire suppression on the Great Plains has let Eastern Red Cedar spread far beyond its historic range, crowding out native prairie grasses. Several state agricultural extensions now classify it as a rangeland management problem despite it being a native species.
Conclusion
Only four tree species on Earth are true cedars, and all four grow wild exclusively around the Mediterranean and in the western Himalayas. Everything North Americans call “cedar” — Eastern Red Cedar, Western Red Cedar, and their regional relatives — is a juniper or arborvitae that earned the name through similar wood, not shared ancestry. Knowing which is which matters for anything from picking a fence material to identifying a tree in your own backyard — and once you’re working with the lumber itself, it helps to know whether cedar counts as a hardwood or a softwood.
