Leylandii, the facts
by R.J.GRIFFIN F.ARBOR.A.
M
y name is Leylandii and I am really a bit of an accident. I arrived as the result
of a natural cross pollination between my two parents Cupressus macrocarpa
from whom I inherit my fast growing characteristic, this side of my parentage, though
fast growing was not hardy and would often die in a severe winter. My other parent
was Chamaecyparis Nootkatensis, this parent though slower growing was very
hardy and has been known to withstand 40 deg. of frost. Where I inherited the fast
growing characteristic from my Cupressus parent, I inherited the hardiness from my
Chamaecyparis parent. With this parentage I thought I had cracked it and I was the
greatest thing since slice bread. In the beginning I was very highly thought of, giving
many people the hedges and screens they required for their privacy and because I
was so fast growing and evergreen I was being chosen in preference to Hornbeam,
Beech, Hawthorn and also my evergreen cousins Lawson Cypress, Thuja and Yew.
I now have a complaint, with all the other trees I have mentioned, you people
accepted the fact that you would have to carry out formative pruning and then
annual trimming and hey presto! You had a hedge regardless of which variety you
chose. I believe you people know what happens to a beech hedge if left untrimmed
and how big a beech tree can get, so why was I singled out by so many of you as
not being worthy of the same loving care?
Like the Beech I am capable of growing into a magnificent specimen for a park or
large garden, I can provide a canopy diameter in excess of 8 metres, and be over
30 metres in height, alternatively, with loving care I can be trimmed into a very fine
hedge. I believe it is fairly well known that I can put on 60 to 90 centimetres in height
per year. When I am first trimmed, in either June or July, my root system is invariably
geared up to not only supplying the foliage which you have removed but also the
following years new growth so my response to this first years trimming is to grow
more vigorously than ever but my root system will, at this point slow down. The next
annual trimming should be carried out the following June or July. This really does
slow me down, my root system gets tired as it no longer has the same amount of
work to do and I struggle to put on a growth of 35 centimetres in height and 20cm
specialising in the care and repair
of ornamental trees, plus hedge cutting
For the complete landscaping service
from design through to construction.
THE NURSERY, MILL LANE, ARLESEY, BEDS. SG15 6RF
Telephone: (01462) 731340
Fax No: (01462) 834227
Email: roger-griffi[email protected]
www.atlandscapes.co.uk
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February 2013
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ARBORICULTURAL ASSOCIATION APPROVED CONTRACTOR
THE NURSERY, MILL LANE, ARLESEY, BEDS. SG15 6RF
Telephone: (01462) 731340
Fax No: (01462) 834227
Email: roger-griffi[email protected]
www.cwtrees.co.uk
for information on conifers you may want to look at our
specialist conifer website: www.atconifers.co.uk
to advertise telephone: 01462 834265 or go to the website: www.onthebuttonarlesey.co.uk