The leyland cypress is one of the most versatile and popular landscape trees. With its graceful evergreen foliage, fast growth rate, and attractive conical form, this tree adds beauty to yards and gardens year-round. Taking pictures of leyland cypress trees can showcase their striking good looks in a range of settings. This guide provides helpful information on getting great shots of these handsome trees.
Features of Leyland Cypress Trees to Capture in Photos
When composing images of leyland cypress trees focus on capturing their distinctive features and attributes
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Conical Shape – The leyland cypress has a symmetrical pyramidal or columnar shape. Photograph from below to emphasize the height, or shoot a side profile to showcase the form.
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Soft Green Foliage – Leyland cypress trees have feathery flattened sprays of needle-like leaves that are light green to deep green in color. Try different angles and lighting to show off the texture.
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Graceful Drooping Branches – Mature trees develop attractive drooping branches. Capture the pendulous branching habit in images.
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Fast Growth – Leyland cypress are known for rapid growth of up to 3 feet per year. Take pictures over time to document the growth.
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Versatility – Photograph leyland cypress as hedges, screens, accent plants, specimens, etc. to highlight uses.
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Year-Round Color – The evergreen foliage looks great in all seasons. Get shots in spring, summer, fall and winter.
Composing Striking Photos of Leyland Cypress Trees
Follow these photography tips to create eyecatching pictures of leyland cypress trees:
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Shoot in Golden Hour – The warm directional light near sunrise or sunset brings out beautiful colors and textures.
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Try Low Angles – Photographing up at the tree emphasizes the height and symmetry.
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Use Leading Lines – Compose shots using fences, paths, roads to lead the eye.
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Frame with Foreground – Position a bench, statue, or garden bed in front to frame the image.
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Play with Light and Shadow – Side lighting or backlighting creates dramatic shadows.
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Focus on Details – Capture the color, needles, cones, and bark patterns in close ups.
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Showscale – Include people, structures, or other plants to convey the size and grandeur.
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Shoot in Different Seasons – The look changes through the seasons. Document in spring, summer, fall and winter.
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Black & White Conversion – Removing color simplifies the image and focuses on form, texture, light.
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Infrared Photography – This technique makes foliage glow white for an ethereal effect.
Examples of Great Leyland Cypress Tree Photography
Here are some striking pictures of leyland cypress trees in various settings and styles to inspire your own photography:
![Leyland Cypress Hedge Sunset][Leyland cypress hedge sunset]
- A leyland cypress hedge photographed in golden sunset light. The low angle makes the hedge seem tall and dramatic.
![Leyland Cypress Tree Fog][Leyland cypress tree fog]
- Fog swirling around a towering leyland cypress tree makes a moody, mystical image.
![Leyland Cypress Pathway][Leyland cypress pathway]
- The receding line of leyland cypress trees draws the eye down the grass pathway.
![Leyland Cypress Foliage Macro][Leyland cypress foliage macro]
- A macro close up of leyland cypress needles showcases the color and feathery texture.
![Leyland Cypress Winter][Leyland cypress winter]
- Leyland cypress make striking winter subjects, covered in snow or frosted.
![Leyland Cypress Silhouette][Leyland cypress silhouette]
- Backlighting turns the tree into a silhouette, focusing on the conical shape.
Tips for Editing Leyland Cypress Tree Photos
Use these editing techniques to get the most out of your leyland cypress images:
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Adjust color balance and temperature to neutralize color casts or enhance green foliage.
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Increase contrast subtly to make the tree stand out from the background.
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Darken shadows to increase drama and depth.
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Selectively sharpen the tree itself to keep it from looking soft.
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Desaturate the background to make the colorful tree pop.
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Crop tightly around the tree or loosely to include environment.
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Clone out distracting elements to simplify the composition.
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Convert to black and white for creative effect.
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Apply presets to give different moods – warm, cold, vibrant, muted, etc.
With a little practice and creativity, you can capture stunning photos of the versatile and beautiful leyland cypress tree. Use these tips to compose eyecatching images that showcase the graceful form, soft texture, and year-round beauty of this popular landscaping tree.
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Our Top Selling Privacy Tree!
- Can grow 3-5 ft a year!
- Creates a beautiful living fence
- Quickly block out what you dont want to see
- Maintenance free!
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| Soil Type | Adaptable |
| Sunlight | Full |
| Drought Tolerance | Good |
| Mature Height | 40-60 Feet |
| Mature Width | 15-20 Feet |
| Fall Color | Green |
| Shipping Restriction | AZ |
The Leyland Cypress Tree is one of the fastest-growing privacy trees. It comes highly recommended along with the Thuja Green Giant. We only plant Leyland Cypresses from the best stock and grow them in some of the most exclusive neighborhoods in the country. These trees are a “must-have” for VIP privacy. You will love how quickly this evergreen fills gaps in your landscape. It will block out unwanted sights, sounds, and wind. Additionally, these trees serve as an effective windbreak for yards, decks, and patios.
These evergreens have a natural pyramidal shape and grow upright with a strong, sturdy trunk. Their rich green color complements any backdrop and surrounding area. Leylands are found all across the United States and are a genuine part of the Americana landscape.
Leyland Cypress trees can grow large. They can reach up to 40 – 60 feet tall and will spread 15-20 feet. These evergreens prefer full sun and will thrive in most soils and hardiness zones. Expect 3-5 feet of growth per year.
Plant your very own living fence! We have a variety of sizes to suit any budget. Leyland Cypress FAQ.
How Do I Plant A Leyland Cypress?
Find a spot with well-draining soil that gets at least eight hours of sun exposure daily. Place your small tree in a hole that is 2″ wider than the root ball. Fill the hole back up to cover the shallow roots. Its best to fertilize at the time of planting, and then once per year in the spring. You will need to water it thoroughly. Plan to water your newly planted trees every 3-5 days. Note that giving it too much water can lead to root rot, but not giving it enough water can stop its growth, especially as it starts to grow.
How Far From A Structure Should This Tree Be Planted?
Plant your tree at least 6 feet from a fence or building. If you want to be able to get to the area behind your tree when it’s fully grown, give it more room to grow.
How Far Apart Should I Plant to Create A Privacy Hedge?
The most effective method is to plant your evergreen trees 3 feet apart on center. The number of feet you need to cover divided by 3 will tell you how many trees you will need to make your living fence.
How Fast Do Leyland Cypresses Grow?
This evergreen is known for its fast growth rate. Once established, you can expect 3-5 feet in growth per year. Leyland Cypress Care.
Looking for a privacy tree that is virtually maintenance-free?
Like the Thuja Green Giant, the Leyland Cypress needs no pruning. Simply plant your tree and watch it grow. This particular evergreen variety is extremely drought-tolerant. In fact, its grown in popularity, particularly in areas where water restrictions are in place.
Although this evergreen requires no maintenance, it does need some initial care. After you have planted your new trees, make sure you water them daily for the first week. After the first seven days, you can start spacing out the watering to every other day. From the third week onward, you can simply water as needed.
Make sure you are planting your tree in the correct hardiness zone. Find an area that receives at least 6 hours of sunlight per day. Then dig a hole as deep as the root ball and two to three times as wide. Gently spread the roots out and backfill. Water your tree deeply. Your root collar should be about two inches above the surface.
Fertilize your Leyland Cypress in early spring for the best results. Use a balanced slow-release fertilizer. Fertilizing will increase the growth rate. Itll also provide nutrients that will have your trees looking their best, in health and color. However, if you dont fertilize yearly, your tree will do just fine without it.
This tree is extremely low maintenance. The hardest thing about this tree is getting it to grow the way you want it to by pruning it. This will help guide the direction of the branches due to its rapid growth rate. Additionally, you can spray neem oil to keep bagworms away. Landscape ideas.
Leyland Cypress Tree Photos and Images
FAQ
What does a full grown Leyland cypress look like?
How big will a Leyland cypress get?
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Common Name
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Leyland cypress
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Mature Size
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60–70 ft. tall; 10—15 ft. wide
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Sun Exposure
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Full, partial
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Soil Type
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Moist, well-drained
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Soil pH
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Acidic, alkaline
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Where is the best place to plant Leyland cypress trees?
What is a Leyland cypress tree?
The Leyland cypress (x Cupressocyparis leylandii) is a fast-growing coniferous evergreen tree that originated as a hybrid between the Monterey cypress and Alaskan cedar. Some key facts about Leyland cypress trees Conical shape with pendulous, flattened branches. Grows to 60-100 feet tall. Soft, green needle-like leaves turn bronze in winter.
How fast does a Leyland cypress tree grow?
Fast growing at 1-3 feet per year. Reaches maturity in about 10 years. Long lifespan of 50 or more years. Low maintenance once established. Below are pictures of Leyland cypress trees in various garden settings: [Leyland cypress hedge]
Can Leyland cypress grow in wet soil?
The tree tolerates occasional drought or brief waterlogging, but take care not to allow it to soak in wet soil for long periods, as this can encourage root rot. Leyland cypress trees are best grown in USDA hardiness zones 6 to 10, with temperatures no lower than minus 8 degrees Fahrenheit.
How much water does a Leyland cypress tree need?
A Leyland cypress will take a few months to get established and needs frequent deep watering during this time, but after that, a good rule of thumb is to give the tree about 1 gallon of water per week for each foot of height—a 10 feet tree will need roughly 10 gallons of water weekly.
Can Leyland cypress grow in shade?
While Leyland cypress is forgiving of most light conditions, it does not tolerate dense shade. It grows best in open, sunny conditions or partially shaded areas. Although it prefers moist, fertile, well-drained soil, this tree tolerates a wide range of soil types—clay, loam, sand, acidic, or alkaline.
Where can I buy Leyland cypress?
Leyland cypress are available at most nurseries. Here are some tips for selection and planting: Purchase from a reputable nursery to ensure you get the exact species. Avoid big box stores where mislabeling can occur. Select healthy trees with good form, without dead spots or damage. Look for robust root balls.