Cedars / Cypress and Cedar Elm Natural to Texas and Drought Tolerant

Dallas Landscape Design Gray Cedars and Cypress Best Shrubs for Texas

The fact that there is something romantic and storybook like about weeping cedars was not lost on this homeowner! Don’t you want to just sit at that window and read nursery rhymes from Mother Goose to a little one?

Blue Atlas Cedars

Blue Atlas Cedars mature to over 50 in height. Plant it with room to grow. Professionally moving a tree can be very expensive. They drop needles and sometimes cones (if they have them) so you may not want this tree over a walkway or any structure that must be swept, and certainly not over your roof.

Blue Atlas Cedars

Weeping Blue Atlas Cedars in group of three

Traditional Cedars in Texas Landscape Design

Dallas Landscape Design Gray Cedars and Cypress Best Shrubs for Texas

Group of 20th century cedars traditional landscape – out of favor now but incredibly beautiful.

20th century cedars traditional landscape – out of favor now but incredibly beautiful.

Scientific Name: Ulmus crassifolia

The Cedar Elm grows naturally in Texas in almost any soil and tolerates intermittent rain and dry conditions. This cedar has a rounded crown with glossy green leaves that have a thick sandpaper like texture.

As Cedar Elms start to mature the rougher bark starts to form and is light brown to gray which is highly ridged and deeply furrowed.

Spartan Juniper – Italian Cypress – Hemlock – Not sure which.

Dallas Landscape Design Cedars and Cypress Best Shrubs for Texas

These cedars and magnolia are about 25 years old.

These cedars are about 20 years old. I love the barberry that has been allowed to grow naturally and has not been sheared.

Exotic welcome!

Dallas Landscape Design Forest Pansy with Cedars

Forest Pansy with cedars inviting streets side welcome.

Cedars in Dallas

Deodar Cedars in Texas: Typically Deodars have a pyramidal shape, with soft grayish-green needles and drooping branches. Many reach 40 to 50 feet tall growing two feet a year. Some can become extremely wide a and 20 to 30 feet in width. The trunk will remain straight with lateral branches nearly horizontal and drooping. Leave lots of room for spreading.

Dallas Landscape Design Gray Cedars and Cypress Best Shrubs for Texas

Cedar Types for Texas

1. Ashe Juniper (Juniperus ashei)

Often called Mountain Cedar. Native to Central Texas, especially in the Hill Country.

Texas Performance: Excellent in dry, rocky limestone soils.
Drought Tolerance: High.
Disease Issues: Susceptible to cedar-apple rust and bagworms.
Awards: Not typically awarded due to allergen issues.
Common Use: Natural screens, wildlife habitat. Found often in cemeteries in rural Central Texas.

2. Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana)

A native juniper found in East and Central Texas.

Texas Performance: Tolerates clay and sandy soils.
Drought Tolerance: Moderate to high.
Disease: Vulnerable to cedar-apple rust and spider mites.
Awards: None notable.
Notes: Used as windbreaks and screens; produces a denser canopy than Ashe Juniper.

3. Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara)

A true cedar native to the Himalayas.

Texas Performance: Performs well in well-drained soils in North and Central Texas.
Drought Tolerance: Moderate once established.
Disease: Root rot in poorly drained soil.
Awards: Some cultivars like ‘Shalimar’ are known for improved cold-hardiness.
Notes: Upright, pyramidal evergreen. Large stature. Good alternative to pine or spruce in Texas landscapes.

4. Weeping Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara ‘Pendula’)

A weeping form of Deodar.

Texas Performance: Best in well-drained Central and North Texas areas.
Drought Tolerance: Moderate. Needs irrigation in very dry periods.
Disease: Same as Deodar. Avoid poor drainage.
Awards: Frequently used in specimen planting in landscapes.
Notes: Graceful form ideal as a focal tree. Requires staking to shape when young.

5. Blue Atlas Cedar (Cedrus atlantica ‘Glauca’)

A striking tree with silvery-blue foliage.

Texas Performance: Needs excellent drainage.
Drought Tolerance: Moderate to good once established.
Disease: Root rot and dieback in heavy clay.
Awards: Popular as a showy tree but better in drier microclimates.
Notes: Not ideal for humid East Texas.

10 Texas Cedar Q&A

1. Q: What cedar species is most common in Central Texas cemeteries?
A: Ashe Juniper, also called Mountain Cedar, is frequently seen in rural cemeteries due to its natural growth and tolerance of rocky soils.

2. Q: Are Deodar Cedars good for Central Texas landscapes?
A: Yes, if planted in well-drained soil and spaced for airflow. They perform best in full sun and alkaline soils.

3. Q: What kind of soil do Deodar and Blue Atlas Cedars prefer?
A: Both require well-drained soils—ideally sandy loam or decomposed granite—and will struggle in dense, compacted clay.

4. Q: Do any cedars have disease resistance?
A: Deodar Cedars are relatively disease-resistant when grown in proper conditions. Eastern Red Cedars and Ashe Junipers are susceptible to cedar-apple rust.

5. Q: Are any cedar trees considered drought tolerant in Texas?
A: Ashe Juniper is highly drought tolerant. Deodar Cedar is moderately drought tolerant once established.

6. Q: Can weeping cedars be grown in East Texas?
A: With caution. High humidity and poor drainage in East Texas can cause root rot. Choose elevated sites with good drainage.

7. Q: Are cedar trees messy or prone to allergies?
A: Ashe Juniper is notorious for triggering cedar fever due to heavy pollen production in winter. Deodar and true cedars produce less problematic pollen.

8. Q: How tall do Deodar Cedars grow in Texas?
A: Typically 40–50 feet tall, but height can be stunted in poor soil or with improper drainage.

9. Q: Is the Eastern Red Cedar good for privacy screens?
A: Yes. It forms dense, evergreen foliage and tolerates pruning, making it suitable for hedgerows and screens.

10. Q: Are any of these trees officially recognized with horticultural awards?
A: Some Deodar cultivars like ‘Shalimar’ have been noted for their cold hardiness and landscape performance, but no major Texas-based awards like Earth-Kind have been granted to cedars.