What soil does Leyland cypress grow in?

It tolerates these soils: average garden soil, clay, sandy, calcareous, acidic.

Is Leyland cypress hardy?

Hardy down to -23 °C (USDA zone 6, RHS H7). In the colder parts of the country (Podlaskie Voivodeship) it may not survive winter without protection.

How far from the house should Leyland cypress be planted?

Plant it at least 1.5 m from buildings. Keep it at least 0.5 m from paving.

How far apart should Leyland cypress be planted?

Planted on its own, it needs 80 cm between plants. For a hedge, allow 2 plants per metre.

How much water does Leyland cypress need?

Water need: medium. Drought tolerance: low.

Leyland cypress

× Cuprocyparis leylandii

Leyland cypress (× Cuprocyparis leylandii) is a hedge plant. Light: full sun, part shade. Hardy down to -23 °C. Drought tolerance: low.

Illustration of Leyland cypress — An illustration of the typical shape of the mature plant, not a photo.

What it's good for, and what it isn't

A very fast evergreen that gives you a tall, dense privacy hedge within a few years, but only choose it if you have the room and the time. It grows close to a metre a year, so it needs clipping twice a year, and a hedge left alone soon turns into a tree of unmanageable size. It does not resprout from old brown wood, and in dry summers it needs regular watering or it starts to brown.

Watch out for

In the hot, dry summers of Central Europe this shallow-rooted plant easily suffers drought stress, and weakened hedges are attacked by fungal cankers (Seiridium, Botryosphaeria) and shoot dieback (Kabatina, needle blights): whole branches turn brown and there is no effective spray against canker. On waterlogged, heavy soil Phytophthora root rot kills it. Planting too densely and poor air movement make infections worse. It needs watering on frost-free winter days too, because the foliage keeps transpiring. Surfaces cut back into brown wood never green up again, and dead plants leave a lasting gap in the hedge. Old, tall specimens can blow over in storms.

Key facts

Light: Full sun, Part shade
Water need: Medium
Care: High
Size after 10 years: 8 m × 2.5 m
Hardiness: down to -23 °C
Foliage: Evergreen

All details

Group	Hedge
Light	Full sun, Part shade
Size after 10 years	8 m × 2.5 m
Ultimate size	18–30 m × 3–4.5 m
Hardiness	down to -23 °C (USDA 6, RHS H7)
Soil	Average garden soil, Clay, Sandy, Calcareous, Acidic
Foliage	Evergreen
Flowering	no data
Water need	Medium
Drought tolerance	Low
Maintenance	High
Root aggressiveness	Low
Suckering	no
Spreading	Low
Distance from buildings	at least 1.5 m
Distance from paving	at least 0.5 m
Litter	not typical
Planting distance	80 cm
For dogs	no data
For cats	no data
For children	Mildly toxic (uncertain)
Typical price	no data

Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor.

Frequently asked questions

Data updated: October 17, 2026 · How our data is made

Appears in these lists

Hedge plants Evergreen hedge plants Plants for screening Evergreen plants Plants for a Mediterranean garden

Guide on the topic

Fast-growing hedges: how much each grows in a year The fastest hedge plant is the Leyland cypress, growing about 90 cm a year, followed by cherry laurel 'Novita', firethorn and western red cedar at about 50 cm a year, then privet at 40 cm. How long a 180 cm hedge takes to screen depends more on the size of plant you buy: several years from small plants, one or two summers from large ones, but at many times the price per metre. The tables use the current shop prices in your country.

Planting a hedge: how many plants per metre, and what it costs Most hedge plants go in at 2-4 plants per metre: Leyland cypress 2, cherry laurel and photinia 2.5 (40 cm apart), yew 3, hornbeam 3.5, privet and beech 4. The plants go in one row, 80 cm from the fence, in autumn or early spring. What the hedge costs depends most on the size of the plants: the table works it out at today's shop prices in your country, for the length of your own hedge.

Compare with similar plants

Leyland cypress vs Common yew Leyland cypress vs European hornbeam Leyland cypress vs Western red cedar

Looks good next to it

Japanese wisteria

Wisteria floribunda

Crape myrtle

Lagerstroemia indica

Red hot poker

Kniphofia uvaria