Gardening
Conifer Charm If there’s one particular group of plants that people love to despise, it tends to be conifers. Could it be that many of us dismiss the huge variety among conifers with just one word – leylandii? The Leyland cypress, Cupressocyparis leylandii, seems to fire up a lot of hatred. It is believed that there could be around 55 million of these trees within the UK – that’s more than one for every adult. The problem is all about size. The trees can grow up to 90cm per year and people have a habit of planting them
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inappropriately, then failing to keep them under control. The citrus-scented foliage of leylandii actually makes a magnificent, dense hedge, which acts as a perfect screen or windbreak. It also provides noise reduction, which can be very valuable for those living next to a main road. When clipped regularly, it’s a perfect garden friend. But nobody knows exactly how tall the tree can grow because there are no ancient leylandii, though estimates suggest they could reach heights of 61 metres (200ft) or even more. These are relatively new plants that originated from a cross created in the late nineteenth century in Wales. The parent species are the Monterey cypress and the Nootka cypress, both from the USA. One parent brings its hardiness to the mix, whilst the other provides a pretty amazing growth rate. The tree is unable to reproduce without human help and all existing leylandii therefore come from cuttings. Whilst legal disputes involving neighbours and leylandii run into thousands, others celebrate the beauty and grandeur of a rather spectacular tree, which can take pride of place in a suitable setting.
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