Introduction:
Specifics:
Pronunciation: x koo-press-so-SIP-air-iss lay-LAN-dee-eye
Common name: Leyland Cypress
Family: Cupressaceae
USDA hardiness zones: 6 through 10A
Origin: not native to North America
Uses: hedge; recommended for buffer strips around parking lots or for median strip plantings in the highway; screen; specimen; Christmas tree
Availability: generally available in many areas within its hardiness range
Description:
Spread: 15 to 25 feet
Crown uniformity: symmetrical canopy with a regular (or smooth) outline, and individuals have more or less identical crown forms
Crown shape: columnar; oval; pyramidal
Crown density: dense
Growth rate: fast
Texture: fine
Foliage:
Leaf type: simple
Leaf margin: entire
Leaf shape: scale-like
Leaf venation: none, or difficult to see
Leaf type and persistence: evergreen
Leaf blade length: less than 2 inches
Leaf color: blue or blue-green; green
Fall color: no fall color change
Fall characteristic: not showy
Trunk and Branches:
Pruning requirement: needs little pruning to develop a strong structure
Breakage: resistant
Current year twig color: green
Culture:
Soil tolerances: clay; loam; sand; acidic; alkaline; well-drained
Drought tolerance: high
Aerosol salt tolerance: moderate
Soil salt tolerance: moderate
Pruning:
Seiridium Canker:
Seiridium canker is usually localized on individual limbs. The limb is usually dry, dead, often discolored, with a sunken or cracked area surrounded by living tissue. You should always destroy diseased plant parts and try to avoid physical damage to plants.
Sanitize pruning tools between each cut by dipping in rubbing alcohol or in a solution of chlorine bleach and water. Chemical control has proven to be difficult.
Horticulturist Comment:
In Depth:
Some available cultivars include: ‘Castlewellan’, a more compact form with gold-tipped leaves, excellent for hedges in cool climates; ‘Leighton Green’, dense branching with dark green foliage, columnar form; ‘Haggerston Gray’, loose branches, columnarpyramidal, upturned at ends, sage-green color; ‘Naylor’s Blue’, blue-grey foliage, columnar form; ‘Silver Dust’, wide-spreading form with blue-green foliage marked with white variegations. Propagation is by cuttings from side growths.


