Green Leylandii Hedge Plants 30-60cm

Green Leylandii Hedge Plants

Green Leylandii is a very fast-growing evergreen hedge plant that quickly forms dense, year-round screening for privacy and shelter. Hardy and adaptable, it grows in sun or partial shade, grows well in most well-drained soils, and is suitable for exposed as well as sheltered positions. Once it has formed a thick, continuous hedge, it should help reduce wind, soften or reduce surrounding noise, and provide valuable evergreen cover for birds and other garden wildlife. ^{[1] [2] [3] [7]}

Our young cell-grown Leylandii plants are inexpensive, light, easy to handle, quick to plant through most of the year. This makes them a practical way to establish a long privacy hedge without the cost and handling difficulties of large instant-hedging plants. ^[5]

How Fast Does Green Leylandii Grow?

120cm a year.....but not in the UK. It sounds excessive, but we checked it three times. The University of Georgia, Clemson University, University of Tennessee and University of Florida all report young Leylandii growing around 3–4ft (91–122cm) a year. ^{[9] [10] [11] [12]}

So now we have got the headline 120cm figure out the way, the realistic growth rate is expected to be in the 75-100cm a year. ^{[13] [15] [16]} Its exact annual growth depends on soil, water, light, weather, competition and how well the young plants establish, so a fixed annual figure should not be treated as a guarantee. ^{[1] [2] [9]}

For the quickest useful screening, keep competing grass and weeds away from the plants and do not allow the root plugs or surrounding soil to dry out while the hedge establishes.

Will Leylandii Reduce Noise?

Once Green Leylandii has formed a tall, wide and dense hedge, it can help reduce some surrounding noise up to 8 dB by absorbing and scattering sound, particularly higher-frequency sounds such as:

• voices
• barking dogs
• sirens
• Some machinery and power-tool noise
• Lawnmowers, hedge trimmers and strimmers
• General neighbour/garden activity

The effect is much smaller for lower-frequency noise such as road traffic, where a solid fence or wall is more effective. ^[17] To put this into perspective, an 8dB drop is roughly around a 40% noise reduction. We emphasise "roughly" because our brains froze up at the perceived volume and actual volume explanation. If you really want to know 84% of energy is reduced, but it only sounds like 40% quieter....yeagh....the PC was walked away from and a coffee made.

Where Can Green Leylandii Be Planted?

Green Leylandii grows in full sun or partial shade. It accepts chalk, clay, loam or sandy soil and acid, neutral or alkaline conditions, provided the ground is well drained. The RHS lists it for both exposed and sheltered positions and gives it a hardiness rating of H6 (-20 degrees centigrade) which means suitable for planting almost anywhere in the UK. ^[2]

For the fastest growth, the best-supported soil conditions are fertile, well-drained soil with adequate moisture. Research on Leyland Cypress found growth was best at pH 5.9–6.5 and that growth also increased with higher fertility. ^{[6] [7]}

Avoid permanently waterlogged ground and ensure young plants are regularly watered during establishment i.e. at least first 2 seasons. ^[18]

How Far Apart Should You Plant Green Leylandii?

For a normal single-row garden hedge, the RHS recommends planting Leyland Cypress approximately 60–75cm apart in average conditions. Use the closer end of that range where faster closure is the priority; the wider end uses fewer plants and gives each plant slightly more space. ^[1]

Planting more closely can make the hedge meet sooner, but it also increases competition for water and nutrients, so watering and feeding become more important while the hedge establishes.

For a practical example rather than a recommendation, this author has a 6ft or 1.8 metre high Leylandii hedge planted at roughly 30cm apart in a single row. It forms a very thick hedge with branches starting close to ground level.

When and How Should a Leylandii Hedge Be Trimmed?

The RHS advises trimming established Leyland Cypress hedges up to three times during the growing season, between April and the end of August. Begin shaping the sides while the plants are young rather than waiting until the hedge has become substantially wider than required. Regular light trimming encourages a neat, dense surface and makes the hedge easier to control. Do not cut the main leader until the desired height has been reached, and avoid cutting the sides back into older leafless growth because new growth will not appear from bare wood. ^[8]

Trim only the soft green shoots and always leave green foliage below the cut. If you are forced to cut into brown wood, then redirecting lower green branches into your brown patch and securing with soft rubber ties is one trick landscapers use.

Before working, check carefully for active bird nests; it is an offence to damage or destroy an active wild-bird nest. ^[4]

Can You Cut Green Leylandii Back Hard?

No. Green Leylandii does not resprout from old brown wood. If a cut removes all the green foliage from an area, the exposed brown section should be expected to remain bare. This is the most important maintenance limitation to understand before buying Leylandii. ^[2] This affects how many pruning sessions you can forget. The more you forget, the more likely the internal structure will turn brown and not resprout green growth.

How Tall Does Green Leylandii Grow?

Green Leylandii is naturally a very large tree and can exceed 30m if left untrimmed. This is its natural tree height, not a recommended hedge height. A Leylandii hedge remains at the chosen height only because its new growth is trimmed regularly. ^[2]

Green Leylandii Browning, Pests and Diseases

Brown foliage does not have one single cause. Check first whether the affected plants have dried out, remained waterlogged, suffered physical damage or been cut beyond their green growth. Once Leylandii foliage and the underlying shoots have died and become brown, that old wood will not turn green again. Post-winter foliage can exhibit some browning from the cold or wind, you can leave it or cut it out.

The RHS lists conifer aphid and scale insects as possible pests and bacterial canker and honey fungus as possible diseases. These problems are possible rather than inevitable, but unexplained spreading dieback should be investigated rather than repeatedly trimming away the visible symptoms. ^[2]

Leylandii foliage can cause skin irritation. Wear gloves and covering clothing when planting or trimming, and avoid rubbing your face or eyes while handling the foliage and clippings. ^[2]

See What Our Customers Are Saying About Our Leylandii Hedging

Hi Alan, Thanks for the note, read with a little smile. Yes I got the trees, I'm pleased with the trees and thanks again. Regards, Mike. 1013

Click image to enlarge

×