Loading…
🔍 Click to enlargetreeperennial
Leyland Cypress
x Hesperotropsis leylandii
Extremely fast-growing evergreen — 3+ feet per year — making it one of the most popular privacy screening trees in the Southeast.
Quick Facts
Sun:☀️ Full Sun
Water:💧💧 Moderate
USDA Zones:Zones 6–10
Space:🏡 Large Garden
Soil:Loam, Clay, Sandy
Best Season(s):Spring, Fall
Experience Level:🌱 Beginner
Native Range:Garden hybrid (no wild native range)
Bloom Cycle:Inconspicuous, not grown for bloom
Care Notes
Space 6–10 ft apart for a solid screen. Susceptible to canker disease in overcrowded, poorly drained plantings.
Growing Details
Mature Size:40-60 ft tall, 15-25 ft wide
Growth Rate:🐇 Fast
Zone Performance
At the cold edge (Zone 6), Leyland cypress can suffer winter injury and ice/snow breakage due to its fast, soft growth, so a sheltered site helps; at the warm edge (Zone 10), it is more prone to canker diseases when planted too densely in the hot, humid Southeast, where good spacing and drainage become critical to avoid disease pressure. It is most trouble-free in the middle of its range with well-drained soil.
Companions & Wildlife
🦌 Deer Resistance
seldom damaged
The dense, resinous foliage is not a preferred browse, making it a reliable screening choice in deer-prone landscapes.
🐝 Pollinator Value
none
Wind-pollinated with no flowers, though the dense evergreen habit offers valuable nesting and roosting cover for birds.
Good Companions
Loropetalum — Shares full sun and well-drained soil and adds color contrast as a lower-growing foreground shrub in front of a Leyland cypress screen.
Nandina — Tough, drought-tolerant shrub that thrives in the same sunny conditions and softens the base of a tall cypress hedge.
Knockout Rose — Full-sun, low-maintenance companion that provides seasonal color at the base of an evergreen privacy screen.
Troubleshooting
⚠️ Seiridium/Botryosphaeria canker (branch dieback, browning)
Space trees 6-10 ft apart for airflow, avoid overhead irrigation, and prune out infected branches during dry weather.
⚠️ Bagworm infestation
Hand-pick bags in winter or treat with Bt in early summer while larvae are small.
⚠️ Root rot in poorly drained soil
Plant in well-drained soil or raised beds and avoid overwatering, since Leyland cypress is highly sensitive to wet feet.
✅ Pet Safety
Generally considered non-toxic to cats and dogs.
Informational only — always check with a veterinarian if you suspect your pet has eaten something it shouldn't have.