The term "cedar" can be confusing because it's used for several different trees, not all of which are closely related. Here's a breakdown:

True Cedars (Genus Cedrus):

* Kingdom: Plantae

* Division: Pinophyta

* Class: Pinopsida

* Order: Pinales

* Family: Pinaceae

* Genus: Cedrus

Species:

* Cedrus atlantica: Atlas cedar

* Cedrus deodara: Deodar cedar

* Cedrus libani: Lebanon cedar

* Cedrus brevifolia: Cyprus cedar (sometimes considered a subspecies of C. libani)

Other trees often called "cedars":

* Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana): This is actually a juniper, not a true cedar. It belongs to the genus Juniperus, in the same family (Cupressaceae) but a different genus.

* Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata): Another juniper, this one belongs to the genus Thuja.

* Spanish Cedar (Cedrela odorata): This tree is in the mahogany family (Meliaceae), making it even more distantly related to true cedars.

Therefore, the scientific classification of a "cedar" depends on the specific tree you're talking about. It's best to be precise and use the full scientific name to avoid confusion.