What is the maximum height of Leylandii?
Large size: Leylandii has the potential to grow very tall and wide, reaching heights of up to 100 feet (30 meters) and widths of 20 feet (6 meters) or more. This can be a disadvantage if you have limited space or if the tree obstructs views, shades other plants, or encroaches on neighbouring properties. Avoid cutting Leylandii hedges during very frosty or very hot weather. Try not to cut the hedge in wet conditions, the aim is for the cut edges to dry and heal as quickly as possible.Leylandii are a great hedging and screening plant but there is one important thing to remember – they will not re grow if you cut back into the old wood. Once it is brown, it will stay brown and there is no way of remedying this as Leylandii hedges have little or no ability to regenerate from the old wood.Leave the tops of the Leylandii trees until they get to within 6 inches (15cm) of the height you want your hedge to be, then trim them off. This will allow them to branch out to form the top of the hedge.Leylandii hedges should not be trimmed during the winter months. Cold temperatures and frozen ground can stress the plants, making them more susceptible to damage. Additionally, winter trimming can lead to brown or dead foliage, as Leylandii cannot regrow effectively during this season.
How do you reduce the height of a Leylandii tree?
If you’ve left your Leylandii hedge to grow, or perhaps you’ve moved into a new home with a large Leylandii, it is possible to reduce its height. The best way to reduce the height of a Leylandii is through regular pruning. If you do choose to plant them near your building, we would recommend trimming the leylandii hedge down significantly twice a year, only after they have achieved their required heights. For example, leylandii hedges that grow to about 4 or 5 metres high will have a root system that runs 2 or 3 metres deep.No. Always leave green growth on the sides of the hedge. If you cut back into the brown, leylandii will not re-shoot. This is not a problem if you keep your Leylandii hedge trimmed from the start and you trim it back once a year to the same point.This also applies to “topping” the trees- if you have huge leylandii trees you cannot just cut the tops off to reduce the height as you can with many other hedging species- you will simply end up with an ugly brown top to your hedge.
How quickly do Leylandii trees grow?
Leylandii hedge plants have a very fast growth rate, achieving 75 – 90 cm a year and will reach heights of between 2m and 6m tall. Left to grow, some Leylandiis have been known to reach heights of 30 metres, with widths of 8 metres. A Leylandii will continue to grow at a rate of around 90 cm a year. Of course, it’s easy to stop the spread of a plant overground, but under the surface is another matter.Leylndii’s biggest strength is also its biggest drawback. Left unchecked, Leylandii can grow too tall and too wide, leading to an overgrown, unmanageable hedge. Mature Leylandii can reach over 10 metres (30 feet) in height. Needless to say this can block light from gardens and even neighbouring properties.