Cedrus Libani
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he Cedar of Lebanon, Cedrus Libani, is an evergreen of the family Pinaceae. This coniferous plant was first found in Lebanon, on the Mount Lebanon range at Sannine, Barrouk, and the eastern and western mountain chains. The tree however is not only found in Lebanon, but forests of Cedrus Libani grow in Cilicia, the Taurus Mountains, Cyprus and Morocco.
The Cedrus Libani, has a large trunk, and may grow to a height of 120 feet and a diameter of 9 feet. The bark of the Cedar of Lebanon is dark gray and exudes a gum of balsam which makes the wound emit a delightful fragrance. The wood is decay resistant and it is never eaten by insect larvae. It is of a red tone, solid, and free from knots.
The cedar of Lebanon is found in cold high mountainous regions. It flourishes and easily regenerates its forests where the average rainfall ranges between 800 and 190 mm. The average temperatures that occur in the land of the cedar are as follows: as low as -4.5 to 5.4 C on the coldest month i.e. January, and as high as 21.8 to 34.3 C in the warmest month i.e. August.
The tree blossoms in September or October and it's cones take three years to mature. The cones are initially tiny and pale green, then turn purple in the second year, then changes brown and seeds.
The importance of the cedar of Lebanon to the various civilizations is conveyed through its uses. The Egyptians used its resin to mummify the dead and thus called it the "life of death". Jew priests however, were ordered by Moses to use the peel of the Lebanese Cedar in circumcision and treatment of leprosy. Jews also used to burn Lebanese cedar wood on the mountain of olives announcing the beginning of the new year. Moreover, the superb qualities of the cedar wood incited Phoenicians, Egyptians, Greeks and many others to use it extensively. The Phoenicians built their trade ship and military fleets from cedar wood as well as the roofs of their temples, houses and doorsills. Kings of neighboring and distant countries asked for this wood to build their religious and civil constructs; the most famous of which are the temple of Jerusalem and David's and Solomon's Palaces. It was also used in the temples and furniture works of the Assyrians and Babylonians. Greeks, Latins and Romans had their share of Cedar wood which they praise and have pride in.
For many hundreds of years the Cedar of Lebanon has been the national emblem of Lebanon.
How the Cedar of Lebanon got on the Flag
In the 18th century the Maronite Christians used a white flag with the cedar tree, with reference to the Bible (Ps 92:12, the righteous flourish like the palm tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon). Later, when Lebanon was under French mandate, the French tricolour was used with a cedar tree in the middle. There is a reference in W. Smith's 1980 book to the colours: 'The red and white colors are those associated, respectively, with the Kayssites and Yemenites, opposing clans that divided Lebanese society between 634 and 1711.'
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