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Leyland Cypress

Cupressocyparis x leylandii

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Leyland Cypress (Cupressocyparis x leylandii) at Kennedy's Country Gardens

Leyland Cypress

Leyland Cypress

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Leyland Cypress (Cupressocyparis x leylandii) at Kennedy's Country Gardens

Leyland Cypress foliage

Leyland Cypress foliage

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Height:  60 feet

Spread:  45 feet

Sunlight:  full sun 

Hardiness Zone:  5b

Description:

This lovely cypress presents interesting tiny sea-green foliage that is both fine and dense; pyramidal form has a slightly relaxed weeping habit that makes a beautiful visual impact as a border or accent planting; fast growing

Ornamental Features

Leyland Cypress is primarily valued in the landscape for its distinctively pyramidal habit of growth. It has attractive bluish-green evergreen foliage. The tiny scale-like sprays of foliage are highly ornamental and remain bluish-green throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

Leyland Cypress is a dense evergreen tree with a distinctive and refined pyramidal form. It lends an extremely fine and delicate texture to the landscape composition which can make it a great accent feature on this basis alone.

This is a relatively low maintenance tree. When pruning is necessary, it is recommended to only trim back the new growth of the current season, other than to remove any dieback. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Leyland Cypress is recommended for the following landscape applications;

  • Accent
  • Vertical Accent
  • Mass Planting
  • Hedges/Screening

Planting & Growing

Leyland Cypress will grow to be about 60 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 45 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 3 feet from the ground, and should not be planted underneath power lines. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 60 years or more.

This tree should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type, but has a definite preference for acidic soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid.

 
 
Hardiness Zone Plant Height Minimum Sunlight Soil pH Preference
Characteristics
Accent  Articulation  Massing  Screening 
Applications
Foliage Color  Texture  Plant Form  Winter Value 
Ornamental Features