Leyland cypress — The Prevalent Landscape Tree That Probably Shouldn't Be

 Well Not in the Deep South Anyway

🌱 Plant Talk | by Guy Saldiveri | June 8, 2026

Healthy Leyland Cypress

You can't drive around the South without seeing this tree prominently displayed everywhere. The question is — should it be?

The Leyland Cypress is an interesting species because it's a cultivated hybrid. A cross between the Monterey cypress and the Alaska cedar, it's a non-native with no natural home range. 

It doesn't appear in nature on its own and is functionally sterile, meaning it usually doesn't reproduce or spread.

The two species it was cultivated from are native to the Northwestern part of the US: 

• Monterey Cypress: Central coast of California
• Alaska Cedar: Pacific Northwest area and up into Alaska

The Attraction

So, how did it become such a prevalent tree in the southern US area? 

This tree was cultivated and heavily marketed to homeowners as a fast-growing, evergreen, windbreak and privacy screen.

It has some amazing qualities:

• Fast growth of 3 to 4 feet per year, up to 70 feet tall and 20 feet wide
• Easily adapts to varying soils from sandy to heavy clay
• Grows into a uniform shape 
• Provides a very efficient sound, wind, and sight  barrier
• Tolerates high heat, severe pruning, air pollution, and sea salt

The problem is, few, if any, knew what they were signing up for.

The downside:

• Prone to disease — specifically, Seiridium canker
• Shallow, but wide and aggressive root system
• Unstable in severe weather
• Requires consistent moisture throughout the summer months

Ironically, one of the more sought-after features of this tree — it's fast growth into a tall and wide barrier — is what contributes to the tree's biggest downfall.

People plant these trees close together and in rows. Their function is to provide privacy and a windbreak. 

That closeness also means:

• Reduced airflow
• Branches rubbing against each other, cutting into protective bark
• Easy spread of disease once it's established

Seiridium canker loves that environment.

What it is: 

Seiridium canker is a fungal disease that infects woody tissue in a range of conifers, including Leyland cypress. It enters the plant through wounds in bark or branch tissue.

What it does:

Once inside the tree, the fungus damages the cambium — the living tissue just under the bark. It forms cankers — sunken, dead areas on branches or stems.

Typical symptoms include:

Leyland Cypress w/Disease

• Yellowing or browning of foliage on individual branches
• Dieback starting at branch tips and moving inward
• Resin (sap) oozing from infected areas
• One-sided or patchy browning in hedges or rows

Over time, repeated infections can kill large portions of the tree or the entire plant.

How it spreads:

It spreads primarily through:

• Rain splash — spores moved from infected tissue to healthy tissue
• Wind-driven rain
• Contaminated pruning tools
• Infected plant debris left in place

Unfortunately, specimen plantings are also vulnerable. Seiridium canker is a disease that affects stressed trees — those that have been subjected to droughts, freezes, or physical damage. 

While the southern climate receives significant rainfall each year, it also brings severe storms, extended summer droughts, and occasional hard freezes in winter.

They need consistent watering during dry periods and protection during freezes. Unless you are very diligent — and most of us aren't — these trees will always experience the type of stress that attracts disease.

Here's a perfect example of what I'm referring to: Drive around the neighborhood. Take a good hard look at the Leylands people have in their yards. You'll often notice a line of them, maybe 6 to 8 trees, a third to half of them will have ugly brown dead zones throughout. 

This is often disease establishing and spreading from tree to tree — once established, it cannot be cured and is very difficult to control.

Apparent Recovery

One thing I’ve observed — and the thing that made me pause for years — is the apparent recovery these trees seem to go through. One day they have brown sections, and then after a good rain they’re lush and green again.

How does a dead section bounce back to life after a rain?

Quick answer: It doesn't. 

It's something that had me saying "This tree can work here — it just takes work to make it work."  But once you understand what's happening, it makes a lot more sense.

There are a few reasons Leylands look like they “heal”:

• Drought bronzing looks just like dieback from a distance: Cypress go a dull bronze-brown at times when they are under stress. From a distance, that bronze looks just like dead brown areas. Those areas aren't dead, just dehydrated and stressed. After a rain, the stress is gone and the tree greens up again.

• They shed old interior foliage and push new growth quickly: Another reason is that Leyland cypress shed older interior foliage and push out new growth quickly. The brown is still there, but covered up. This gives a false illusion of healing.

• True dieback never recovers — and that’s the problem: The real truth is while they look ok, these trees are under constant stress in our environment and it's just a matter of time before many of them succumb and lose the battle.

What should I do with the ones I have?

Honestly, if you have these in place and they are healthy — the answer is "just enjoy them."

While prone to issues, they're perfect for what they were designed for. They're attractive, lush, evergreen, and provide the privacy you most likely wanted to begin with.

If they aren't healthy? Well now you have to make some decisions. If they're really bad, you'll most likely need to have them removed. If there are just a few spots, those can be pruned out. Either way, it's important to take care of the issue as quickly as you can, otherwise the disease will spread and you will definitely lose the tree and its neighbors.

So what should I plant in its place?

Some Alternatives:

• Thuja "Green Giant" arborvitae: Best replacement for Leyland cypress. Grows fast and has excellent resistance to heat, humidity, and the diseases that devastate the Leyland.
• Southern Wax Myrtle: Fast growing southern native that thrives in our climate.
• Little Gem - Southern Magnolia: If you like the Magnolia, this is a smaller version of the same tree.
• Nellie R Stevens Holly: Almost indestructible, handles full sun, heat and drought. Also provides abundant berries for birds in winter.

The Bottom Line:

The Leyland cypress is a beautiful tree that definitely has a place in many landscapes. It provides a very attractive and effective privacy screen as well as protection from wind and rain. It's just one of those that are much better suited for a different environment than is usually present in the Deep South. The amount of effort required for it to flourish here is more than what should be required for any tree in any landscape.

If you want a tree that has the look and qualities of Leyland cypress without the problems, take a good hard look at those alternatives. They'll provide you the same peace and privacy without the associated problems.

If you enjoy these porch‑talk garden rambles, you can follow the blog over on the left — no pressure, just neighborly company. I’ll even buy the coffee 😉

Remember — Nature is the best painter there is — give her a blank canvas and watch her grow.

Happy Gardening 🌱