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Deodar Cedar
Deodar cedar is one of the most recognizable conifers in the Bay Area, its graceful drooping branches, blue-green needles, and pyramidal form make it unmistakable. Planted heavily from the 1950s onward as a specimen tree and windbreak, many are now 60 to 80 feet tall and creating challenges with fire clearance, power line conflicts, and disease pressure during drought years.
How to Identify Deodar Cedar
- Needles are soft, blue-green to silver-green, 1 to 2 inches long, in clusters of 20 to 30 on short spurs
- Branch tips distinctly droop downward, the most recognizable feature from a distance
- Overall form is a broad pyramid with a nodding (leaning) leader at the top
- Bark is dark gray-brown, becoming deeply furrowed with scaly ridges on mature trees
- Cones are barrel-shaped, 3 to 5 inches long, upright on upper branches, they disintegrate on the tree rather than falling whole
- Lower branches sweep to the ground on unpruned specimens, creating a skirt effect
Where It Grows in the Bay Area
Found throughout the entire Bay Area, one of the most widely planted ornamental conifers. Common in Palo Alto, Los Altos, Saratoga, Walnut Creek, and Lafayette. Particularly numerous in hillside properties and larger lots where they were planted as windbreaks or specimen trees in the 1950s to 1970s.
Common Issues & Diseases
Fungal disease causing branch tips to turn brown and die back, progressing inward over multiple seasons. Triggered by drought stress. Can eventually kill large portions of the canopy. Prune out affected branches 6 inches below visible damage and improve watering.
Occurs in poorly drained soils or overwatered sites. Causes yellowing, thinning canopy, and eventual death. Deodar cedars planted in clay soils near irrigation systems are most vulnerable. No effective cure once established, prevention through proper drainage is key.
Resinous foliage, retained dead branches, and dense canopy create fire ladder potential in wildland-urban interface areas. Defensible space regulations in many cities require limbing up lower branches and removing dead material within the fire zone.
Unlike California natives, deodar cedar comes from the Himalayan monsoon climate and needs some summer moisture. Extended drought causes needle yellowing, tip dieback, and vulnerability to secondary pests. Deep watering every 3 to 4 weeks during drought years is essential.
Bay Area Care Calendar
Season-by-season care guidance for deodar cedar in the San Francisco Bay Area:
Inspect for tip blight damage, dead brown branch tips are most visible now. Prune out affected branches well below the dead zone. Avoid pruning live green growth in winter as wounds heal slowly.
New growth flush, soft light-green new needles appear at branch tips. Good time to assess overall tree health. Apply slow-release fertilizer if the tree showed stress the previous year.
Critical watering period. Deep soak every 3 to 4 weeks if rainfall is absent. Do not let irrigation spray the trunk, keep water at the drip line. Watch for spider mites in hot, dry conditions.
Interior needle drop is normal, older needles yellow and shed. This is not disease. Good time for structural pruning and fire clearance work before wet season. Assess crown for dead branches.
Detailed Notes
Fire Risk Management
In fire-prone areas, deodar cedar requires active management: remove all dead branches, limb up the lower canopy to at least 6 to 10 feet, thin the crown to reduce density, and maintain defensible space clearance from structures. Many fire marshals flag unpruned deodars during inspections.
Drought vs. Disease
Drought stress and tip blight often appear together because drought weakens the tree, making it susceptible to fungal infection. The treatment is addressing both: improve watering during dry periods AND prune out infected branches. Treating only one problem usually fails.
Size Management
Deodar cedars cannot be topped or severely reduced without destroying their form. If size is a concern, the only good option is removal and replacement. Topping creates an ugly, unstable tree that never recovers its natural shape. Plan for 60 to 80 feet of height when deciding whether to keep or remove. Removal usually needs a permit. Cupertino and Santa Clara list deodar cedar as a specimen species protected at 12″ diameter. Mountain View protects any cedar (Cedrus) at 12″ circumference, and Campbell protects cedars at 12″ diameter even on developed single-family lots. Check the city page first.
Arborist Pro Tips
Frequently Asked Questions
Is deodar cedar drought tolerant?
Moderately. Deodar cedar originates from the Himalayan monsoon climate and needs some summer moisture, unlike California natives that evolved with dry summers. During drought years, deep watering every 3 to 4 weeks at the drip line prevents stress and disease susceptibility.
What causes brown tips on deodar cedar?
Brown branch tips are typically caused by Botryosphaeria tip blight, a fungal disease triggered by drought stress. The fungus kills branch tips and progresses inward over multiple seasons. Treatment requires both improved watering and pruning out infected branches at least 6 inches below visible damage.
Is deodar cedar a fire hazard?
Deodar cedar has moderate to high fire risk due to resinous foliage, retained dead branches, and dense canopy structure. In wildland-urban interface zones, fire marshals often require lower branch removal to 6 to 10 feet, dead branch cleanup, and crown thinning for defensible space compliance.
Can you top a deodar cedar?
No. Topping destroys the natural pyramidal form permanently and creates weak, unstable regrowth. A topped deodar cedar never recovers its shape and becomes more hazardous than the original tree. If the tree is too large for your site, removal and replacement with an appropriate species is the better solution.
How long do deodar cedars live?
Deodar cedars can live 100 to 300 years or more in favorable conditions. In the Bay Area, most planted specimens are 50 to 70 years old. With proper care including drought management and disease prevention, there is no reason a healthy deodar cannot live well over a century.
Is interior needle drop on deodar cedar normal?
Yes. All conifers shed older interior needles annually, typically in fall. This normal needle drop causes yellowing of 2 to 3 year old needles inside the canopy while branch tips remain green. Disease, by contrast, kills the tips first and progresses inward, the opposite pattern.
How much space does a deodar cedar need?
Plan for at least 40 feet of clear space in all directions and 80 feet of vertical clearance. Deodar cedars planted too close to structures, power lines, or other trees inevitably require expensive removal. This is a tree for large properties with room to grow.
Should I remove dead lower branches on deodar cedar?
Yes. Removing dead lower branches improves appearance, reduces fire risk, and prevents disease spread. Live lower branches that sweep the ground can be retained if fire clearance is not an issue, but dead material should always be removed to reduce pest and disease pressure.
Where to Find Deodar Cedar in the Bay Area
City permit guides for areas where deodar cedar is common:
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Written by Michael Schuck, ISA Certified Arborist WE-15750A · Updated May 2026
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Where deodar cedar is protected: 56 Bay Area cities
41 of 56 jurisdictions regulate deodar cedar on private property, each at its own size. The size is measured the way the city's code says (DBH or circumference, at the height shown). Rows come from the same rules the permit checker applies; the city page has the code section and the fee.
| City | Deodar cedar | Rule it falls under |
|---|---|---|
| Atherton | Protected at 48″ circumference at 54″ | as "Other qualifying species (outside the main buildable area only)"; outside the main buildable area |
| Belmont | Protected at 14″ DBH at 54″ | as "Any other species (large diameter tree)" |
| Belvedere | Not a listed species | Only the listed species are regulated on private property |
| Berkeley | Not a listed species | Only the listed species are regulated on private property |
| Burlingame | Protected at 44″ circumference at 54″ | as "Any species" |
| Campbell | Protected at 12″ DBH at 48″ | as "Oak, redwood, cedar or ash on a developed single-family lot"; developed single-family lot |
| Contra Costa County (unincorporated) | Not a listed species | Only the listed species are regulated on private property |
| Corte Madera | Protected at 50″ circumference at 54″ | as "Any species" |
| Cupertino | Protected at 12″ DBH at 54″ | as "Specimen species (native oaks, CA buckeye, big leaf maple, deodar cedar, blue atlas cedar, bay laurel, western sycamore)" |
| Danville | Protected at 36″ DBH at 54″ | as "Any single-trunk tree 36" diameter or more (heritage)" |
| Dublin | Not a listed species | Only the listed species are regulated on private property |
| East Palo Alto | Protected at 8″ DBH at 54″ | as "Any species" |
| Fairfax | Protected at 12″ circumference at 54″ | as "Any species (every tree 12" circumference / 4" diameter)" |
| Foster City | No private-tree permit | Street and park trees only |
| Fremont | Protected at 18″ DBH at 54″ | as "Any species" |
| Hayward | Not a listed species | Only the listed species are regulated on private property |
| Hillsborough | Protected at 18″ DBH at 54″ | as "Any species" |
| Lafayette | Not a listed species | Only the listed species are regulated on private property |
| Larkspur | Protected at 50″ circumference at 24″ | as "Any species (heritage tree)" |
| Los Altos | Protected at 12″ DBH at 48″ | as "Any species" |
| Los Altos Hills | Not a listed species | Only the listed species are regulated on private property |
| Los Gatos | Protected at 12″ DBH at 54″ | as "Any species, developed residential lot"; developed residential |
| Marin County (unincorporated) | Not a listed species | Only the listed species are regulated on private property |
| Menlo Park | Protected at 47.1″ circumference at 54″ | as "Any other species" |
| Mill Valley | Not a listed species | Only the listed species are regulated on private property |
| Milpitas | Protected at 56″ circumference at 54″ | as "Any species, developed residential lot"; developed residential |
| Monte Sereno | Protected at 25″ circumference at 48″ | as "Any other species" |
| Moraga | Not a listed species | Only the listed species are regulated on private property |
| Mountain View | Protected at 12″ circumference at 54″ | as "Oak (Quercus), redwood (Sequoia) or cedar (Cedrus)" |
| Novato | Protected at 24″ DBH at 24″ | as "Any species, native or non-native (heritage tree)" |
| Oakland | Protected at 9″ DBH at 54″ | as "Any other species" |
| Orinda | Not a listed species | Only the listed species are regulated on private property |
| Pacifica | Protected at 12″ DBH at 54″ | as "Any species (protected tree)" |
| Palo Alto | Protected at 11.5″ DBH at 54″ | as "Bigleaf maple, incense cedar, coast live / blue / CA black / valley oak" |
| Piedmont | No private-tree permit | Street and park trees only |
| Pleasant Hill | Protected at 18″ DBH at 54″ | as "Non-native tree (except eucalyptus and palms)" |
| Pleasanton | Protected at 55″ circumference at 54″ | as "Any other species" |
| Portola Valley | Not a listed species | Only the listed species are regulated on private property |
| Redwood City | Protected at 38″ circumference | as "Any species" |
| Ross | Protected at 12.01″ DBH at 54″ | as "Any species, single trunk over 12" DBH (improved parcel)" |
| San Anselmo | Protected at 22″ DBH at 54″ | as "Any species on a developed lot (heritage tree)" |
| San Bruno | Protected at 10″ DBH at 54″ | as "Any other species" |
| San Carlos | Protected at 11″ DBH at 54″ | as "Any other non-excluded species (significant tree)" |
| San Francisco | Protected at 12″ DBH at 54″ | as "Any species" |
| San Jose | Protected at 38″ circumference at 54″ | as "Any species" |
| San Mateo | Protected at 15″ DBH at 54″ | as "Any other species" |
| San Mateo County (unincorporated) | Protected at 12.1″ DBH at 54″ | as "Any species" |
| San Rafael | No private-tree permit | Street and park trees only |
| Santa Clara | Protected at 12″ DBH at 54″ | as "Specimen species (CA buckeye, big leaf maple, deodar cedar, blue Atlas cedar, camphor, western sycamore, native oaks, coast redwood, bay laurel)" |
| Saratoga | Protected at 10″ DBH at 54″ | as "Any other species" |
| Sausalito | Protected at 10″ DBH at 54″ | as "Any other species on developed private property (heritage tree)" |
| South San Francisco | Protected at 30″ circumference at 54″ | as "Heritage species (California bay, oak, cedar, California buckeye, Catalina ironwood, strawberry tree/Arbutus, mayten, Little Gem magnolia)" |
| Sunnyvale | Protected at 38″ circumference at 54″ | as "Any species" |
| Tiburon | Protected at 60″ circumference at 24″ | as "Any species (heritage size)" |
| Walnut Creek | Protected at 28″ circumference at 54″ | as "Any species" |
| Woodside | Protected at 36″ circumference at 48″ | as "Any other species" |
Street trees, city-designated heritage trees and trees required by a development approval are protected at any size in every city. Dead or hazardous trees still need the permit unless the city page says otherwise.