What genus contains the true cedars, including the Atlas cedar? The answer is Cedrus.
Cedrus is a genus of coniferous trees in the pine family, Pinaceae. Its members are the “true cedars,” a distinction that separates them from many unrelated trees whose common names also include cedar. The Atlas cedar is Cedrus atlantica, native to the Atlas Mountains of Morocco and Algeria.
Other recognized cedars in the genus include the Lebanon cedar (Cedrus libani), deodar cedar (Cedrus deodara) of the western Himalayas, and Cyprus cedar (Cedrus brevifolia). Cedrus species typically grow in mountainous regions, produce upright cones, and carry needle-like leaves in dense tufts.
A common mix-up is confusing true cedars with redcedars, white cedars, incense cedars, or Spanish cedars. Those names apply to trees in other genera and even other plant families. The genus name Cedrus was formally established by Christoph Jacob Trew in 1757.