Cyprus cedar

Tens of thousands of endemic cedars, found nowhere else in the world, grow in Cedar Valley in the Paphos Forest.

A long-lived conifer with a broad, tiered crown that flattens at the top with age. Its needles are exceptionally short, usually under 1.5 cm, and are gathered in clusters on short shoots, while the barrel-shaped cones stand upright on the branches. It grows in the cooler mountains at around 900–1,400 m. It is closely related to the Lebanon cedar, and some botanists regard it as a variety of that species.

Significance in the country

The Cyprus cedar occurs only in the western Troodos Mountains; after centuries of logging its population has been restored through protection, and Cedar Valley is one of the most precious corners of Cyprus’s natural world.

Where it grows

Naturally only in the Paphos Forest in the western Troodos, mainly in Cedar Valley and on Mount Tripylos.

More: Wikipedia (en)