x Hesperotropis leylandii Portfolio Leyland Cypress

Leyland Cypress is a fast‑growing intergeneric evergreen hybrid (× Hesperotropsis leylandii) resulting from a spontaneous cross in England in 1888 between Monterey cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa) and Nootka (or nootka false) cypress (Callitropsis nootkatensis/chamaecyparis nootkatensis) on the Leyland estate. It is prized in landscape use for its dense, upright, columnar to pyramidal form, bluish‑green flattened sprays of scale‑like foliage, and rapid growth—up to 3 ft (0.9 m) or more per year in its youth, attaining mature heights of 60–70 ft (18–21 m) with spreads of around 10–15 ft (3–4.5 m). Bark is reddish‑brown and becomes grooved with age; small cones (≈¾ in / 2 cm across) with eight scales appear but seeds are sterile so propagation is via cuttings. It is hardy in zones 6a–10b, tolerates various soils including coastal salt conditions, and is widely used for hedges, windbreaks, screens and specimen plantings. Several named cultivars (e.g. ‘Gold Rider’, ‘Haggerston Grey’) have been widely selected, with ‘Gold Rider’ earning the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.