Cedrus in the context of "Mediterranean region"

Mastic (Greek: Μαστίχα) is a resin obtained from the mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus). It is also known as tears of Chios, being traditionally produced on the island of Chios, and, like other natural resins, is produced in "tears" or droplets.

Mastic is excreted by the resin glands of the evergreen shrub Pistacia lentiscus and dries into pieces of brittle, translucent resin. When chewed, the resin softens and becomes bright white and opaque. The flavor is bitter at first, but after some chewing, it releases a refreshing flavor similar to pine and cedar.

Firs are evergreen coniferous trees belonging to the genus Abies (Latin: [ˈabieːs]) in the family Pinaceae. There are approximately 48–65 extant species, found on mountains throughout much of North and Central America, Eurasia, and North Africa. The genus is most closely related to Keteleeria, a small genus confined to eastern Asia.

They are tall trees that can be distinguished from other members of the pine family by the way in which their needle-like leaves are attached singly to the branches with a circular base, and by their cones, which, like those of cedars, stand upright on the branches like candles and disintegrate at maturity.

Temperate coniferous forest is a terrestrial biome defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature. Temperate coniferous forests are found predominantly in areas with warm summers and cool winters, and vary in their kinds of plant life. In some, needleleaf trees dominate, while others are home primarily to broadleaf evergreen trees or a mix of both tree types. A separate habitat type, the tropical coniferous forests, occurs in more tropical climates.

Temperate coniferous forests are common in the coastal areas of regions that have mild winters and heavy rainfall, or inland in drier climates or montane areas. Many species of trees inhabit these forests including pine, cedar, fir, and redwood. The understory also contains a wide variety of herbaceous and shrub species. Temperate coniferous forests sustain the highest levels of biomass in any terrestrial ecosystem and are notable for trees of massive proportions in temperate rainforest regions.

Cedrus libani, commonly known as cedar of Lebanon, Lebanon cedar, or Lebanese cedar (Arabic: أرز لبناني, romanized: ʾarz lubnāniyy), is a species of large evergreen conifer in the genus Cedrus, which belongs to the pine family and is native to the mountains of the Eastern Mediterranean basin. Known for its longevity, height, and durable wood, it has held profound significance for millennia. The tree features in ancient Mesopotamian and Israelite literature, notably in the Hebrew Bible, according to which the tree was used in the construction of the Jerusalem Temple by Solomon, who received the trees from Hiram of Tyre. Today, it is the national emblem of Lebanon and is widely used as an ornamental tree in parks and gardens.

The Pinaceae, or pine family, are conifer trees or shrubs, including many of the well-known conifers of commercial importance such as cedars, firs, hemlocks, larches, pines and spruces. The family is included in the order Pinales, formerly known as Coniferales. Pinaceae have distinctive cones with woody scales bearing typically two ovules, and are supported as monophyletic by both morphological trait and genetic analysis. They are the largest extant conifer family in species diversity, with between 220 and 250 species (depending on taxonomic opinion) in 11 genera, and the second-largest (after Cupressaceae) in geographical range, found in most of the Northern Hemisphere, with the majority of the species in temperate climates, but ranging from subarctic to tropical. The family often forms the dominant component of boreal, coastal, and montane forests. One species, Pinus merkusii, grows just south of the equator in Southeast Asia. Major centres of diversity are found in the mountains of southwest China, Mexico, central Japan, and California.

Cedar is part of the English common name of many trees and other plants, particularly those of the genus Cedrus.

Some botanical authorities consider the Old-World Cedrus the only "true cedars". Many other species worldwide with similarly aromatic wood, including several species of genera Calocedrus, Thuja, and Chamaecyparis in the Pacific Northwest of North America, are referred to as "false cedars".