The trunks of old trees are usually divided into several stout, erect branches, the side-branches being horizontal and sometimes extended for a considerable distance from the trunk. The shape of the tree, specifically the form of its trunk, changes depending on the density of the stand. When located in a high density stand, the Cedrus libani grows straighter, whereas when growing in a low density stand, the Cedrus libani develops its lower horizontal branches and spreads them out over long distances. The fruiting cones, which take two or three years to mature, are oval to oblong. On average, trees do not bear cones until they are 40 or 50 years old.
Propagation is from seed.
The seeds germinate in late winter, when either rain or snowmelt are still available. In the Mediterranean, these slopes are facing the sea. Winter snow is an important source of water in the spring. Annual precipitation in Lebanon usually exceeds 1000 millimeters where Cedrus forests occur. The extensive soil erosion over the Lebanon range may have rendered the forest species more sensitive to atmospheric conditions, and the denudation of vegetation may have reduced the amount of cloud formation.