Many people are under the impression that a pine tree is just that — a pine tree but not all the ‘pine’ trees in a mountain forest are actually pine trees as some are larch, some spruce, some fir trees and others are those glorious trees called Himalayan cedar or ‘deodar’ in Urdu.

Regular pine trees or ‘pinus’ to give them their botanical name, tend to grow straight up to a height of approximately 30 metres but the beautifully aromatic Himalayan cedar or ‘cedrus’ reaches around 20 metres and, unlike pine trees, instead of shooting straight up for the sky, prefers to spread its branches out in all directions if it possibly can. Quite often, especially when surrounded by pine trees or other types of trees, cedars will grow straight up at first but then, as soon as they find breathing space, begin to branch out as much as they possibly can.

Another difference between pine, spruce, larch and cedar is that the first three species grow to a point while cedar develops a somewhat rounded top which really marks it as being different than its ‘friends’. The simplest way, however, to tell a cedar tree from the other species mentioned, is by its cones.

Pine cones are usually quite elongated and can be from 12mm to 20mm in length and are light in weight but the ripe cones of cedar trees are hard as rock, shaped like barrels and range in size from 7cm to 11cm in length and are much prized by dried flower arrangers all over the world as well as being used in things like Christmas decorations.

Indigenous to Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kashmir and Nepal, Himalayan cedars are not as common as they used to be as, unfortunately, the fragrant wood they produce is in high demand for furniture making and by the construction industry as it is straighter grained and much stronger than many other types of wood. Cedar wood storage chests used to be part of our culture as the wood has an in-built moth repellent thus helping to prevent stored away blankets and clothes from being attacked by moths and other insect pests, but the high price of such objects meant that people turned to using metal storage trunks instead.

Once widespread throughout the north of the country and parts of Balochistan, the number of cedar trees has reduced considerably during recent years. This reduction is largely due to the depredations of the timber mafia who make a lot of money by stealing and selling these valuable trees and, sadly to report, in many areas nothing at all is done to stop this theft from happening.