Cedrus atlantica 'Glauca', Blue Atlas Cedar.

Cedrus atlantica 'Glauca' | Landscape Plants | Oregon State University

The upswept looking one against the building is one of the fastigiate blue Cedrus atlantica cultivars rather than just blue ('Glauca', Glauca Group) Atlas cedar. All tree shaped blue cedars except 'Horstmann' are genetically programmed to reach monumental proportions in time. (As in well over 60 ft. tall with similarly large crown spreads when uncrowded). Otherwise even that same one in the first shot will have taken many years to reach the still-small size it is now - how long are you able to wait? For trees that are going to grow 1 or 2 ft. per year, if that? (A common response to unwanted neighboring views such as condos or tall houses is to try to grow a property edge planting that will soon be as tall as the offending structure is. However in locations other than where something like bamboo or eucalyptus - that shoot right up after establishment has occurred - is feasible it can take decades for commonly made choices like evergreen conifers to grow big enough to completely hide a building that has more than one level. Even Leyland or 'Green Giant' do not grow yards at a time. And as with most tree-sized conifers these last two are narrower in the top half. So that a row of them still has big gaps in the upper level long after the lower portion has grown together - the quickest relief will often be gotten from installing (as in building, hanging or planting) something where a bothered party is looking from rather than over near where what is being seen is located).

Did you not like the answers received when you first posted this same question at the end of September? It was ID'd at that time and nothing has changed........ :-)

Thank you for the information. There are 3 blue atlas cedars in my neighborhood that I know of, and all of them are shaped conically. They were all planted within the last 5 years.

Em, I hear what you're saying about planting something to block the view nearby. I did plant a tupelo, an unnamed crabapple and a ninebark to block the view, which helped when sitting on the patio. But there is still a long expanse where nothing breaks the top line of the fence. I can also see the neighbor's cluttered yard from the upstairs windows, which are above said patio. I can see 4 backyards and at least 8 houses in that direction.

I also like the feeling of being enclosed, like the backyard is nestled in trees. There used to be several huge ash trees, but they fell prey to the emerald ash borers. My backyard is like a football field that I'm slowly filling up with trees, but none are bigger than 12 feet yet.

The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is today. As they say.

Gardengal, I checked on that other post several times before I posted again. There were no responses that I saw after I posted the photos. I just refreshed the page and I am seeing those answers now. My apologies.

did i miss where you are.. big city name.. ??

any time you want suggestions on plants.. you need to tell us where you are.. min winter temp.. zone is not good enough ...

these things are sold in my MI by bigbox.. and most of them eventually die .. because they are attuned to mi weather ..

the side fo the building may or may not be a nice micro climate for it.. i discount the other two young trees you saw.. without any further info ...

no tree stops growing at some magical height.. part of what embo was getting at.. it they take years to get to the height you need.. usually in tree time.. counted in decades ... and then they keep going after they reach that height.. and in the same next time period.. will be twice as big ..

if you look closely at the first pic.. do note.. this tree was planted at least 10 to 20 feet too close to the building.. and because of that.. it has been rather butchered ... it is not some rare non conical shape.. its been butchered ...

if you want some help on finding a solution .. how about a new post.. and some pix of the problem.. and some further info like soil.. zone ... etc ...

ken

it is not some rare non conical shape.. its been butchered ...

Actually the first tree is one that will have been sold with 'Fastigiata' as part of the name. With the crown shape - except where there are gaps - being a result of the branches being naturally upswept. And assuming it is the same clone I see in my area will still have the same basic profile when over 60 ft. tall. As in significantly less broad than typical, but not actually fastigiate. So still a big space-eating tree, just not producing long level branches that go on forever when unshaded.

Central NJ, originally zone 6b but now more like 7, loamy soil with a little red clay. I'm good, ken, no problems that need solving, am familiar with growing trees. just wanted to know what the blue spreading cedar was. This is what I'm envisioning, thought I posted it yesterday but I guess I didn't:

Em, which one is the broad one with the long level branches you refer to?

Which one is the broad one?

Blue Atlas cedar. Like in your picture from 14 hours ago.

Wow, the last photo shows a truly majestic tree!

Some of our ancestors may have worshipped the tree...

Here's a cedar of Lebanon (I believe) in New Jersey.