Cedrus deodara (Deodar Cedar, Himalayan Cedar, or Deodar; Urdu: ‫ ديودار‬deodār; Hindi,

Sanskrit: दे वदार devadāru; Chinese: 雪松 xue song) is a species of cedar native to the western
Himalayas in eastern Afghanistan, northern Pakistan, north-central India (Himachal Pradesh,
Uttarakhand and Kashmir), southwesternmost Tibet and western Nepal, occurring at 1500–
3200 m altitude. It is a large evergreen coniferous tree reaching 40–50 m tall, exceptionally
60 m, with a trunk up to 3 m diameter. It has a conic crown with level branches and drooping
branchlets.[1]

The leaves are needle-like, mostly 2.5–5 cm long, occasionally up to 7 cm long, slender (1 mm
thick), borne singly on long shoots, and in dense clusters of 20-30 on short shoots; they vary
from bright green to glaucous blue-green in colour. The female cones are barrel-shaped, 7–13 cm
long and 5–9 cm broad, and disintegrate when mature (in 12 months) to release the winged
seeds. The male cones are 4–6 cm long, and shed their pollen in autumn.[1]

Contents
[hide]

 1 Etymology
 2 Cultural importance in the Indian subcontinent
 3 Cultivation and uses
o 3.1 Construction material
o 3.2 Herbal Ayurveda
 4 Gallery
 5 See also
 6 References

[edit] Etymology
The specific epithet and English vernacular name derive from the Sanskrit term devadāru, which
means "wood of the gods", a compound of deva (god) and dāru (wood).

[edit] Cultural importance in the Indian subcontinent

The deodar tree is the national tree of Pakistan. Among Hindus it is worshipped as a divine tree,
particularly in Kashmir and Punjab villages, as the name deodar suggests. The first half of the
word deva means the words divine, deity, deus, and Zeus and the second part connotes durum,
druid, tree, and true.[2][3]

Several Hindu legends refer to this tree. In Valmiki Ramayan – Kishkinda khanda- stanza 4-43-
13 reads:[4]
lodhra padmaka khaNDeSu devadaaru vaneSu ca | raavaNaH saha vaidehyaa maargitavyaa
tataH tataH || || 4-43-13

That means “In the stands of Lodhra trees, Padmaka trees and in the woods of Devadaru, or
Deodar trees, Ravana is to be searched there and there, together with Seetha. [4-43-13]”

Forests full of Devadaru trees were the favorite abode or living place of ancient Indian sages and
their families who were devoted to Hindu god Shiva for whom they performed very difficult
tapasya (meditation) to please him.

[edit] Cultivation and uses

It is widely grown as an ornamental tree, much planted in parks and large gardens for its
drooping foliage. General cultivation is limited to areas with mild winters, with trees frequently
killed by temperatures below about −25 °C, limiting it to hardiness zones 8 and warmer for
reliable growth.[5] It is commonly grown in western Europe (north to Scotland), in the
Mediterranean region, around the Black Sea, in southern and central China, on the west coast of
North America as far north as Vancouver, British Columbia, and in the southeastern United
States from Texas to Virginia.

The most cold-tolerant trees originate in the northwest of the species' range in Kashmir and
Paktia Province, Afghanistan. Selected cultivars from this region are hardy to zone 7 or even
zone 6 [USDA zone, UK zone, which one?], tolerating temperatures down to about −30 °C.[5]
Named cultivars from this region include 'Eisregen', 'Eiswinter', 'Karl Fuchs', 'Kashmir', 'Polar
Winter', and 'Shalimar'.[6][7] Of these, 'Eisregen', 'Eiswinter', 'Karl Fuchs', and 'Polar Winter' were
selected in Germany from seed collected in Paktia; 'Kashmir' was a selection of the nursery
trade, whereas 'Shalimar' originated from seeds collected in 1964 from Shalimar Gardens, India
(in the Kashmir region) and propagated at the Arnold Arboretum.[6]

[edit] Construction material

Deodar is in great demand as building material because of its durability, rot-resistant character
and fine, close grain, which is capable of taking a high polish. Its historical use to construct
religious temples and as landscape around temples is well recorded. Its rot-resistant character
also makes it an ideal wood for constructing the famous houseboats of Srinagar, Kashmir. In
India, during the British colonial period, deodar wood was used extensively for construction of
barracks, public buildings, bridges, canals and railway cars.[3]

[edit] Herbal Ayurveda

The curative properties of Deodar are well recorded in Indian Ayurvedic medicines, which are
indicated below.[3][8]

The inner wood is aromatic and used to make incense. Inner wood is distilled into essential oil.
As insects avoid this tree, the essential oil is used as insect repellent on the feet of horses, cattle
and camels. It also has antifungal properties and has some potential for control of fungal
deterioration of spices during storage. The outer bark and stem are astringent.[9] Its biomedical
actions are reported to be carminative, antispasmodic, creates sweating, urination and is
aromatic. Deodar’s Ayurvedic actions are reported to increase digestive function, remove toxins
from the bowel, alleviate coughing, and cure skin disorders such as eczema and psoriasis. Cedar
oil is often used for its aromatic properties, especially in aromatherapy. It has a characteristic
woody odour which may change somewhat in the course of drying out. The crude oils are often
yellowish or darker in colour. Its applications cover soap perfumes, household sprays, floor
polishes and insecticides and is also used in microscope work as a clearing oil
History This was an important tree species in north India for domestic and also for
commercial appliances. Its wood was as good as sal and teak. Oil was distilled from the
waste wood and from woodcarvings in earlier periods, which was useful in relieving
pains and rheumatic complaints. Oil was useful for skin complaints including mange in
horses in ancient times. In a 20 per cent concentration made in castor oil, it produced
100 per cent curative effect against sarcoptic mange in buffalo-calves. It was also used
effectively against sarcoptic mange in dog, sheep, goat and camel.

Habitat It is found throughout the western Himalayas from Afghanistan to Garhwal, at elevations
ranging from 1,200 m to 3,000 m above the sea level. It is most common from 1,800 m to 2,600 m. In
India deodar forests are common from Kashmir to Garhwal and form the bulk of the vegetation in these
regions.

  Morphology Description (Habit) It is a large evergreen tree, often reaching 60 m in height. It reaches
90 m in places where it is protected from injuries. Branches are horizontal or slightly ascending or
descending, not whorled, but arising irregularly. The leaves are 2.5 cm-5 cm long, dark green, three
sided, glaucous or silvery and sharply pointed. It is a monoecious plant, although male and female cones
appear on separate branches. Dioecious trees are very rare. Female cones are barrel-shaped and borne
singly at the tip of the dwarf shoots. Male cones are solitary at the end of the dwarf shoots. They are
cylindrical and 2.5 cm-4.5 cm in length. Seeds are triangular with a broad wing.

  Principal Constituents Himalayan Cedarwood Oil contains two major sesquiterpenoids a - and ß-
himachalenes1. Deodarone2 and deodardione3 are also isolated from the essential oil.

  Pharmacology The extract from the wood shows marked anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities 4.

  Clinical Studies It has anti-rheumatic property.

Toxicology Due to the high contents of heavy metals like zinc, copper, manganese in pollen due to
pollution, it causes allergy.

Indications It is anti-inflammatory. Oil is rubbed on the painful parts to remove the pain.

Product Range Rumalaya gel, Muscle & Joint Rub, Pain Massage Oil, Scavon.
Botanical Name(s): Cedrus Deodara
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Pinopsida
Order: Pinales
Family: Pinaceae
Genus: Cedrus Trew
Species: Cedrus deodara (Roxb.) G. Don f.
Popular Name(s): Deodar, Himalayan Cedar
Parts Used: Rhizomes
Habitat: Grows wild in damp deciduous forests

Description
Cedarwood is a plant that is up to 50 m high and up to 3 m in diameter. It has the shape of a
pyramid and is crown conical when young, with leader and branches drooping at the end. On the
other hand, the older trees are more rounded. The branches are horizontally arranged, while the
ends of the shoots are pendulous. The needles are blue-green, about 30 in a cluster, 3-5 cm long,
and acuminate. Flowers appear in September and October. These plants need plenty of room to
spread. Large specimens of this plant have trunks, almost 3 feet in diameter and spread across 50
feet. In India, the plant is mostly found in the western Himalayan belt, at an altitude of 3500 to
12000 feet. Its range extends to the Hindukush area, where it grows extensively.

Uses & Benefits of Cedarwood

 The bark of cedarwood proves to be a good remedy in remittent and intermittent fevers,
diarrhea and dysentery. The powder is used in the treatment of ulcers.
 The inner wood of the plant is aromatic and is thus, used to make incense. The inner
wood is also distilled to make essential oils.
 The essential oil obtained from this plant is used as insect repellant on the feet of horses,
cattle and camels, as insects avoid venturing close to it.
 Cedarwood possesses anti-fugal properties and has shown limited potential in controlling
fungal deterioration of species, during storage.
 The outer bark and stem of the tree are used for making astringent.
 The biomedical actions of the plant are believed to be carminative and antispasmodic. It
creates sweating and urination.
 The Ayurvedic functions of the plant promote digestive function, remove toxins from the
bowel, alleviate coughing, and cure skin disorders, such as eczema and psoriasis.
 As it possesses aromatic properties, cedar oil is often used in aromatherapy. It has a
characteristic woody whiff, which can change slightly in the course of drying out.
 The resins of the herb are used as anti-obesity agent. They are also effectual in clearing
the respiratory tract and reducing cough and cold.
 Cedarwood (deodar) is also used as a building material, as it is durable and rot-resistant.
It has fine close grain, which can sustain high polish.
 Historically, cedarwood was used in construction of temples and landscape around
temples. The famous houseboats of Kashmir and India are also made of deodar. During
 the colonial era, it was extensively used for construction of barracks, public buildings
bridges, canals & railway cars.

Caution

 The essential oil from cedarwood should be used with extreme care and avoided during
pregnancy, as is the case with almost all essential oils.
Cedrus deodara (Deodar Cedar, Himalayan Cedar, or Deodar; Urdu: ?????? deodar; Hindi,
Sanskrit: ?????? devadaru; Chinese: ?? xue song) is a species of cedar native to the western Himalayas in
eastern Afghanistan, northern Pakistan, north-central India (Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and
Kashmir), southwesternmost Tibet and western Nepal, occurring at 1500–3200 m altitude. It is a large
evergreen coniferous tree reaching 40–50 m tall, exceptionally 60 m, with a trunk up to 3 m diameter. It
has a conic crown with level branches and drooping branchlets.[1]

The leaves are needle-like, mostly 2.5–5 cm long, occasionally up to 7 cm long, slender (1 mm thick),
borne singly on long shoots, and in dense clusters of 20-30 on short shoots; they vary from bright green
to glaucous blue-green in colour. The female cones are barrel-shaped, 7–13 cm long and 5–9 cm broad,
and disintegrate when mature (in 12 months) to release the winged seeds. The male cones are 4–6 cm
long, and shed their pollen in autumn.[1]

Contents

[hide]

* 1 Etymology

* 2 Cultural importance in the Indian subcontinent

* 3 Cultivation and uses

o 3.1 Construction material

o 3.2 Herbal Ayurveda

* 4 Gallery

* 5 See also

* 6 References

[edit] Etymology

The specific epithet and English vernacular name derive from the Sanskrit term devadaru, which means
"wood of the gods", a compound of deva (god) and daru (wood).

[edit] Cultural importance in the Indian subcontinent

The deodar tree is the national tree of Pakistan. Among Hindus it is worshipped as a divine tree,
particularly in Kashmir and Punjab villages, as the name deodar suggests. The first half of the word deva
means the words divine, deity, deus, and Zeus and the second part connotes durum, druid, tree, and
true.[2][3]

Several Hindu legends refer to this tree. In Valmiki Ramayan – Kishkinda khanda- stanza 4-43-13 reads:
[4]

lodhra padmaka khaNDeSu devadaaru vaneSu ca | raavaNaH saha vaidehyaa maargitavyaa tataH
tataH || || 4-43-13

That means “In the stands of Lodhra trees, Padmaka trees and in the woods of Devadaru, or Deodar
trees, Ravana is to be searched there and there, together with Seetha. [4-43-13]”

Forests full of Devadaru trees were the favorite abode or living place of ancient Indian sages and their
families who were devoted to Hindu god Shiva for whom they performed very difficult tapasya
(meditation) to please him.

[edit] Cultivation and uses

It is widely grown as an ornamental tree, much planted in parks and large gardens for its drooping
foliage. General cultivation is limited to areas with mild winters, with trees frequently killed by
temperatures below about -25 °C, limiting it to hardiness zones 8 and warmer for reliable growth.[5] It is
commonly grown in western Europe (north to Scotland), in the Mediterranean region, around the Black
Sea, in southern and central China, on the west coast of North America as far north as Vancouver, British
Columbia, and in the southeastern United States from Texas to Virginia.

The most cold-tolerant trees originate in the northwest of the species' range in Kashmir and Paktia
Province, Afghanistan. Selected cultivars from this region are hardy to zone 7 or even zone 6 [USDA
zone, UK zone, which one?], tolerating temperatures down to about -30 °C.[5] Named cultivars from this
region include 'Eisregen', 'Eiswinter', 'Karl Fuchs', 'Kashmir', 'Polar Winter', and 'Shalimar'.[6][7] Of these,
'Eisregen', 'Eiswinter', 'Karl Fuchs', and 'Polar Winter' were selected in Germany from seed collected in
Paktia; 'Kashmir' was a selection of the nursery trade, whereas 'Shalimar' originated from seeds
collected in 1964 from Shalimar Gardens, India (in the Kashmir region) and propagated at the Arnold
Arboretum.[6]

[edit] Construction material

Deodar is in great demand as building material because of its durability, rot-resistant character and fine,
close grain, which is capable of taking a high polish. Its historical use to construct religious temples and
as landscape around temples is well recorded. Its rot-resistant character also makes it an ideal wood for
constructing the famous houseboats of Srinagar, Kashmir. In India, during the British colonial period,
deodar wood was used extensively for construction of barracks, public buildings, bridges, canals and
railway cars.[3]

[edit] Herbal Ayurveda

The curative properties of Deodar are well recorded in Indian Ayurvedic medicines, which are indicated
below.[3][8]

The inner wood is aromatic and used to make incense. Inner wood is distilled into essential oil. As
insects avoid this tree, the essential oil is used as insect repellent on the feet of horses, cattle and
camels. It also has antifungal properties and has some potential for control of fungal deterioration of
spices during storage. The outer bark and stem are astringent.[9] Its biomedical actions are reported to
be carminative, antispasmodic, creates sweating, urination and is aromatic. Deodar’s Ayurvedic actions
are reported to increase digestive function, remove toxins from the bowel, alleviate coughing, and cure
skin disorders such as eczema and psoriasis. Cedar oil is often used for its aromatic properties, especially
in aromatherapy. It has a characteristic woody odour which may change somewhat in the course of
drying out. The crude oils are often yellowish or darker in colour. Its applications cover soap perfumes,
household sprays, floor polishes and insecticides and is also used in microscope work as a clearing oil.[
http://www.google.co.in/#hl=en&source=hp&q=devadaru+tree&aq=2&aqi=g9&aql=&oq=devadaru&gs_
rfai=&fp=dfd5b827a6089c24

Name: DEVADARU

Filename: Cedrus_deodara_.jpg

Description:

Botanical name : Cedrus deodara (Roxb.ex.D.Don) G.Don.

Family : Pinaceae

SANSKRIT SYNONYMS

Devadaru, Suradaru, Bhadradaru, Paribhadra, Amarakashta, Snehavriksha

AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES

Rasa : Tikta, Katu

Guna : Lakhu, Snigdha

Virya : Ushna

Vipaka : Katu

PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES

English : Deodar, Himalayan cedar

Hindi : Dvedar, Deodar

Malayalam : Devadaru, Devadaram

Distribution – Growing naturally in Himalayan valley also found in Ooty district of Tamilnadu.

PLANT DESCRIPTION

A moderate to large sized evergreen coniferous tree grows up to 80 meters in height. Leaves needle like,
sharp, pointed, triquetrous, male cones solitary, cylindrical, found at the tip of barnchlets, females
globose, formed of woody placenta scales. Seeds pale brown, with longer wings aid in dispersion.
Heartwood is yellowish brown, fragrant and yield oil on heating.

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES

Plant pacifies vitiated vata, kapha, pain, arthritis, ear ache, inflammation, headache, epilepsy, insomnia,
cough, bronchitis, hiccough, diabetes, urinary tract infections, calculi, skin diseases and cardiac
disorders.

Useful part : Leaves, Heartwood, Oil.

BIOPOTENTIALS OF AZADIRACHTA INDICA AND CEDRUS DEODARA OILS
ON CALLOSOBRUCHUS CHINENSIS 
Authors: S. Raguramana; D. Singhb

Abstract

Oils obtained from neem (Azadirachta indica) seed kernel, the Himalayan cedar wood (Cedrus deodara)
and their combination (1:1) each at 3, 2 and 1% concentrations were tested against adults of pulse
beetle (Callosobruchus chinensis L.). Cedar wood oil exhibited highest fumigant potential at 3, 2 and 1%
concentrations showing corrected inhibition (knock-down) of 100, 100 and 96%, respectively. While
neem oil + cedar wood oil (1:1) at 3, 2 and 1% concentrations inhibited 96, 84 and 51.66%. The least
corrected % knock-down of 62, 45 and 32 were observed by application of neem oil at 3, 2 and 1%,
respectively, by Potters spray tower in 24 h of treatment. However, corrected percent mortality of the
same study reveals highest mortality in the cedar wood oil rather than neem and their combinations.
Topical application by Arnold hand microapplicator at the rate of 0.5 μl per insect at 3, 2 and 1%
concentrations of both the oils and their combinations showed negligible mortality after 24 and 48 h of
treatment. In general observations on the behavioural effects due to treatment under Potter's spray
tower method showed that cedar wood oil and its combination with neem oil treated insects quickly
recovered from the anesthetic effect when compared to insects in neem oil treatment and control. In
ovipositional behavioural experiment, cedar wood oil treated chickpea, Cicer aeritinum, grains had
134.3, 114.0 and 112.3 mean number of eggs/5 females while neem oil had 98.3, 118.7 and 57 at 3, 2
and 1% concentrations, respectively. Methanol+acetone (1:1) treated control had only 89.67 eggs/5
females. However, negligible difference was noticed among 3, 2 and 1% concentrations of cedar wood oil
+ neem oil and control. Joint action potential of Himalayan cedar wood oil with neem oil and its possible
use in the formulation of botanical insecticides are discussed.