Here is the long shot of what I'm calling the "Larch" - they're 50' plus and outgrowing same-aged Coastal Redwoods planted in the same privacy screen (hence my interest...)

Here is the closeup of what I'm calling the "spruce." The needles are finer and softer than most spruces I've seen (I'm merely an outdoors-enthusiast & homeowner w/ a garden, however, and make no pretense to any botanical expertise!)

This post was edited by PiningAway on Mon, Nov 18, 13 at 14:49

Here is the "spruce" long-shot.
These trees are ~30ft tall and planted in full sun in my neighbor's front yard.

I would be surprised to see a healthy Spruce (Picea) or Larch (Larix) growing in your climate without endless irrigation.

You photo confirms that for me. You are looking at true Cedars (Cedrus). Needle distribution is superficially similar to Larch but evergreen and much better suited to hot dry summers.

Thanks for the quick reply smivies!
On the first two pictures, you are undoubtedly right: the images I pulled up of cedrus needles are a spitting image.
Question is, which species / variety / cultivar?
Needle length and branch shape seem to point towards Atlas or Cedar of Lebanon.
Can anyone help narrow this down further?

As for the second set of pictures I posted, those are different trees, with a completely different needle pattern.
Can anyone help ID them?

This post was edited by PiningAway on Mon, Nov 18, 13 at 20:55

If I were going to label your Cedars....the first set of photos with the longer needles might be C. deodara. The second set of photos look more like C. atlantica....if the yellow cast isn't photographer related, maybe C. atlantica 'Aurea'.

Matching your Cedars to web photos is not so straightforward at this time of year. Most of the web photos show fresh attractive color and graceful drooping branch tips....what they look like in summer. This time of year, the new growth has hardened off and appears stiffer....not as attractive and so fewer photos available to compare with.

all of them are C. deodara.... the fastest grower of the three.

osprey

Wow, consensus is pointing towards C. deodara.
It's funny: I noticed the second group of cedars because at a distance they presented much like the first, but upon closer examination, it seemed such pronounced differences in needle length, thickness, color & configuration meant these were two different species altogether.

Question: are these differences due to these being different cultivars of deodara or something else like age? (The 2nd set of trees are roughly half the size of the first.)

As for photography, all four shots were taken with the same iPhone within 15 minutes & a half mile of each other under similar lighting conditions.
In person, the big, 50'+ cedars in the first 2 shots also presented a lighter, yellowish green relative to the Costal Redwoods in the frame.

Footnote on water & seasonal change: in a word, there hasn't been any to speak of around here.
Temps have stayed in the 70s & 80s for the last 2 months.
It has rained maybe two or three times since June. Lightly.
Everything around here is irrigated.
Nothing but the local Blue Oaks, Digger Pines & Toyon achieve any sort of size without serious irrigation here in the Sierra Foothills.

C. deodar is on of the most resilient species I know... they can tolerate heat/drought very well...
Also, it happens to be one of the most variable species, imho..... Needle length, color, branch configuration, growing rates... even for specimens coming from the same parent tree... that, in my opinion, adds character to the species. I have never seen two specimens that look alike... perhaps similar.

C. deodar is on of the most resilient species I know... they can tolerate heat/drought very well...
Also, it happens to be one of the most variable species, imho..... Needle length, color, branch configuration, growing rates... even for specimens coming from the same parent tree... that, in my opinion, adds character to the species. I have never seen two specimens that look alike... perhaps similar.

Getting by on minimum water and plenty of heat changes the character also. It's not all genetics.
Mike

Another ditto to Deodar Cedar

Resin

Indeed, Cedars grow very well around here!
I'm in the foothills above Auburn, in the heart of Gold Country, and there are some impressive examples of several varieties.

Josh