Leyland Cypress Tree

The fastest route to a tall, private green wall — Leyland Cypress can climb 3 to 4 feet a year to screen out the world.

Leyland Cypress is the classic privacy conifer, prized for speed. Its soft, feathery sprays of flat, blue-green to deep-green foliage form a dense, columnar-to-pyramidal pillar that holds its color through every season. With a fast growth rate and a mature size of 40 to 60 feet tall and 10 to 15 feet wide, it's built for tall screens, windbreaks, and property-line privacy where you want height in a hurry.

What I love about it

Leyland Cypress is the tree for people who need privacy now. It grows several feet per year, closes gaps along a fence line within a few seasons, and produces a soft, graceful texture that reads far more elegant than a stiff arborvitae or spruce. The blue-green foliage stays evergreen and full to the ground when young, blocking sightlines and softening wind in every season. It tolerates coastal and salt-spray sites better than most conifers, and deer tend to leave it alone — a major advantage where arborvitae gets browsed. Just give it the space its full size demands and it will reward you with decades of reliable screening.

Plant Care Tips

• ☀️ Light: Full sun — 6–8 hours daily for best growth
• 💧 Water: Water deeply weekly until established; moderate water needs once mature
• 🌡️ Temperature: Hardy to 0°F (Zone 6); tolerates heat and coastal conditions
• 🪴 Difficulty: Easy — fast-growing and low-maintenance
• 🐾 Pet Safety: Non-toxic to cats and dogs
• 📏 Spacing: Space 8–10 ft apart for a privacy hedge; give room for mature width

Plant Specs

• Mature Size: 40–60 ft tall, 10–15 ft wide
• Growth Rate: Fast — 3–4 ft per year
• Foliage: Blue-green to deep green; soft, feathery texture
• Form: Columnar to pyramidal
• Growing Zone: 6–8