National Tree Week: The Deodar Cedar at Middleton Hall

Amongst the foreign specimen trees that were introduced to Middleton Hall in about 1875, by the tenant Hanbury Barclay was the deodar cedar, or Cedrus deodara.

Deodar cedar in the Glade at Middleton Hall, obscuring the view of the Conservatory, c.1890.

The Revised English Landscape Garden Style was influenced heavily by the orient. This extended to the types of species introduced, with gardens of this Style embracing oriental plants. The deodar cedar is just one of these oriental introductions. It is native to the Himalayas and was first introduced to Britain in 1831. This species is the national tree of Pakistan and considered sacred to Hindus. In its native habitat, it can live for over 1,000 years and can reach a height of about 70 metres (200 feet), which makes it the tallest of the cedars. It is unknown whether it is able to reach the same age or height in other environments, particularly those that are less favourable to it. This is because this species is neither very tolerant of waterlogged nor drought conditions. Nevertheless, specimens of this species that are over 150 years old are known to still be thriving in Britain.

Performance at the Conservatory in the Glade at Middleton Hall, with dominant deodar cedar, c.1905.

At Middleton Hall, the deodar cedar specimen is located in the Glade and is often mistaken for a cedar of Lebanon. In fact, it was not until Middleton Hall commissioned an official tree survey that it was actually identified as a deodar cedar. The main way to tell the two cedars apart is that the branch tips in a cedar of Lebanon are horizontal whereas in the deodar cedar they are drooping. The deodar cedar at Middleton Hall has been dated as being about 155 years old, which equates to about 1870. However, the challenge for dating a deodar cedar in Britain is that the British climate does not suit it as well as its native habitat and can inhibit its growth. Nevertheless, this specimen tree is marked on the 1886 Ordnance Survey map and therefore it is thought that the date is about right.

Deodar cedar in the Glade at Middleton Hall, 2015. Photograph taken by Jenny Jordan.

Author - Debbie Jordan, Middleton Hall Volunteer.

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