Leyland cypress

Profile

Family

Cupressaceae

Habit

Tree

Height

40 m

Spread

8 m

Growth

very fast

Lifespan

70 years

First yield

after 6 years

Hardiness

zone 6–10

Shade tolerance

partial shade

Soil

Sand, Silt, Loam, Clay

Soil moisture

semi-dry – very moist

pH

5.5 – 8.5

Synonyms

Zypresse

Flowering & harvest

Times apply to the northern hemisphere in a temperate climate and shift with altitude and cultivar.

Uses

Medicinal: The fruits have skin-cleansing and moisturizing properties, and can also help treat burns and grazes. The flowers act as expectorants and emetics. The fruit may be hard to digest. The seeds help with coughs, digestion, fever, and act as an anthelmintic. To deworm, the seeds are ground into flour, mixed with water to create an emulsion, and ingested. A douche is necessary to eliminate parasites from the body. The root has diuretic and emetic effects.

Other uses: Plants can thrive as windbreak hedges in highly windy areas and are relatively tolerant of coastal conditions. While they may experience wind damage after extended storms, they typically recover swiftly. These plants grow rapidly and can be pruned, but avoid cutting into old wood. When establishing windbreak hedges in exposed areas, use only young plants that are not root-bound to ensure proper wind resistance. Although commonly used for hedging in city gardens, this species is not suitable for this role. Despite quickly creating a privacy screen, it is overly vigorous for many gardens and demands ongoing maintenance to prevent it from becoming unruly.

Growing

An easily cultivated tree that thrives in moist, fertile soil, as well as sandy soils and can withstand calcareous conditions. It is highly resistant to wind, saline winds, and maritime exposure. The Leyland cypress tree grows rapidly, reaching a height of 20 meters in 20 years, with various clones available. While widely used for hedging recently, it is only suitable for large areas. The tree is not very beneficial to wildlife due to its limited food offerings for native species. However, it is popular among birds for roosting, cover, and nesting due to the protection it provides. Mature trees of this species attract songbirds to gardens. The crushed foliage emits a pleasant, resinous fragrance. These trees are particularly vulnerable to honey fungus.

Propagation

Take cuttings from semi-mature wood, 7 cm long with a heel, in July/August in sandy soil in a moist frame. The cuttings root easily. Take cuttings from side shoots in March.

Notable

Special features: opaque and very tolerant to cutting, except in the old wood; natural cross first created in 1888 from fast-growing Californian Monterrey cypress with cold-resistant Nootka/Alaska cedar, although it does not tolerate a lot of heat, wet snow or extreme temperatures well; Grows about 1m a year, therefore also used as a Christmas tree culture;

Origin & habitat

A hybrid plant created in gardens, combining Cupressus macrocarpa and Chamaecyparis nootkatensis.

Widely found in small groves on damp slopes and in ravines, typically on serpentine soils, below 1,500 meters. Rarely exceeding 50 kilometers from the coast.

Related plants