Cedar is not a type of pine, a common misconception arising from the confusing use of common names for different trees. Although they are not the same kind of tree, they share a close evolutionary relationship. True cedars and true pines are classified into separate genera, representing distinct groups of plants with clear differences in their physical structures.
Understanding Plant Classification
The relationship between cedar and pine is best understood by looking at the taxonomic hierarchy used to classify all living organisms. This system organizes life into nested groups, with the Order, Family, and Genus levels being most relevant for distinguishing these trees.
Both pines and cedars belong to the Order Pinales, which encompasses all conifers. They are also grouped into the same Family, Pinaceae (the Pine Family). However, they are separated at the Genus level: Pinus for true pines and Cedrus for true cedars.
The Defining Traits of True Pines
The genus Pinus encompasses the true pines, which are recognized by their unique needle and cone structures. Pine needles are always clustered in small bundles called fascicles, rather than growing individually along the branch. The number of needles in a fascicle, typically ranging from two to five, is a defining characteristic of the specific pine species.
The female seed cones are another distinguishing feature, as they are typically woody and remain intact as they mature. These cones have overlapping scales that protect the seeds until dispersal. True pines are generally fast-growing trees that form a characteristic pyramidal shape when young, often developing a more rounded crown with age.
The Defining Traits of True Cedars
True cedars belong exclusively to the genus Cedrus, which includes only four species, such as the Cedar of Lebanon and the Atlas Cedar. These trees are characterized by their needle arrangement, which grow in dense, spiraling clusters on short side shoots called spur shoots. This arrangement of compact tufts is a key difference from the bundled structure of pines.
Their seed cones are also distinctive, growing upright on the branch and possessing a barrel-shaped or cylindrical form. Unlike pine cones that drop whole, true cedar cones disintegrate upon maturity, shedding their woody scales and seeds while leaving the central spike attached.
Public confusion is widespread because many unrelated trees are commonly called “cedar,” such as Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata) and Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana). These misnamed trees are actually members of the Cypress Family (Cupressaceae) and have flat, scale-like leaves.
Shared Family Ties
Despite the clear distinctions in leaf and cone structure at the genus level, true pines and true cedars share a common evolutionary history. Both are classified within the same botanical family, meaning they share fundamental characteristics. These include being resinous, evergreen conifers that produce both male and female cones on the same tree.
Their shared lineage indicates that they diverged from a common ancestor relatively late in plant evolution. This explains why they both produce needle-like leaves and woody cones, even though the specific details of these structures are different enough to warrant placement into separate genera. The family grouping signifies a shared set of genetic and physical traits that link them more closely to each other than to members of other conifer families, like the Cupressaceae.