xCupressocyparis leylandii 'AUREA' Leyland cypress
size/type
taller shrub,taller shrub
usual height
4-6m
usual width
1-1,5m
leaves
evergreen conifer
colour of leaves
location
full sun
USDA zone (lowest)
5b (down to -27°C)
winter protection
for zone 5+6
for zone 7
categorized
Leyland cypress is a natural hybrid genus between cupressus macrocarpa and chamaecyparis nootkatensis. It is a fast growing evergreen conifer, used mainly in hedges and as a windbreak. The species is a large tree which cannot be cultivated in small gardens but varieties and selections are often smaller or more compact, and are loved for their colours and capability to fit a smaller plot.
Description of the plant:
Aurea Leyland cypress is a variety from former Tesi Ubaldo nursery in Italian Pistoia from around 2000. It is a yellow coloured selection of strictly upright habit. Its columnar statue remains compact and stands still like a castle guard in wind, rain or snow without bended or broken branches. Its evergreen, flattened sprays of scale-like leaves are pale golden yellow to yellow-green all year round because cupressocyparis does not lose its colour in winter like some cypress or thuja. It grows moderately to fast and mature plants are about 4-6m tall and only about one meter wide and can be pruned or clipped from early spring till midsummer. Never cut into old wood. Leyland cypress is very soil tolerant and will grow in any well-drained soil. Just beware that it will consume most of nutrient and moisture in the area of about 2m from its trunk. If you plant larger specimens stake it well for the first 2-3 years to prevent from rooting out. It does not suffer from pests and diseases. Hardy to min. -27°C (USDA zone 5B).
Last update 16-11-2019
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