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Leyland cypress trees will give you that fast growth if you are looking for a privacy screen or a Christmas tree for your yard, but they are high-maintenance. A hybrid cross between Alaskan cedar and Monterey cypress, the Leyland cypress is classified as an evergreen tree and as a conifer. The plant is named after the person who crossbred the species, Christopher Leyland.

Botanical Name: Cupressocyparis leylandii
Common Name: Leyland cypress trees
Plant Type: Conifer evergreen
Mature Size: Can grow up to 50 feet tall with a spread of about 1/4 to 1/3 of its height
Sun Exposure: Full to partial sun
Soil Type: Clay, loam, and sand
Soil pH: Acidic, neutral, and alkaline
Bloom Time: Occasional, if at all
Flower Color: White
Hardiness Zones: 6 to 10
Native Area: North America

Growing Tips
Slender and fast-growing at a rate at about 2 to 3 feet per year, Leyland cypress trees are generally grown to meet an urgent need for a mass of evergreen foliage to create a privacy hedge. For best growth, plant in a full sun site with evenly moist fertilized soil. The average height for an untrimmed Leyland cypress is about 50 feet, but do not be surprised if yours grows much higher or much shorter than that. Taller than they are wide, the spread of this columnar tree is commonly only 1/3 or 1/4 of the height, sometimes less.

Leyland cypress trees are best grown in planting zones 6 to 10 with temperature lows of -8 degrees Fahrenheit. However, zone-5 gardeners have been successfully growing them by providing mulch and an A-frame shelter in the winter months to protect them from snow and ice damage. Such sheltering is feasible only while the plants are young—unless you keep them short by pruning. Luckily, once the plants have matured, sheltering becomes unnecessary, as they will prove to be sufficiently cold-hardy in zone 5.

Fertilize Leyland cypress in early spring, before new growth begins. Spread a general-purpose, 18-5-10 slow release fertilizer around the tree's drip line.

Use in Landscaping
A common landscape use is planting several Leyland cypresses along a border, in order to create a privacy screen. They are also used as windbreak trees. Since they are amenable to shearing or pruning, some homeowners take this a step further and turn such a border planting into a formal hedge.