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. Cedrus often forms pure, rather open forests, with only low undergrowth of grasses of low shrubs, but it is also mixed with other conifers and oaks. Currently, the Cedrus libani in Leban on is limited to twelve, separate stands. The areas are briefly described below, and Bcharre and Jabal el-Barouk will be discussed in further depth and detail.