Leyland Cypress - short life-span ?? Yes? No?

[M.D. Vaden]

So far, the only leyland cypress I've seen that bit the dust were heavy thick canopy trees that blew over in overly soggy soil. Breakage has been mainly on leylands that were poorly selected and neglected for pruning.

I've seen many that look good when in decent soil.

So far, I have not seen one just die from old age - nor death from disease.

Recently, in searching the internet, I found a few websites that say the leyland cypress have a short life span.

How valid are those reports?

Do they really have a short life span, or are people witnessing leylands die due to neglect, poor tree selection and bad site conditions?

What are you tree workers seeing around the country? Around the globe?

Thanks.

 

[1I'dJak]

if it was up to me they would all have a short lifespan! I've trimmed a fair share of these suckers, mostly as hedges and haven't seen too many sick ones...just maybe some with some browned out spots...when they're left as trees they defiently seem to grow top heavy and extremely prone to breakage... as they grow like a big weed... fat ass growth rings... iv'e never seen one over forty years here (victoria)...

 

[woodchux]

People around here seem to want them removed when they reach around 13-14 years.

Usually planted close to the house or something else, and they never thought that the trees would get so big .

But the trees are almost always very healthy.

 

[Diesel JD]

I took one of mine down...it was browning out real bad...had to prune it's brother. It's brother was browning too, but I just took out all the dead stuff and it now seems ok. They are being shaded by the bigger trees in teh canopy. Southern Red Cedar, Maple, pine. This tree was only 10 years old

 

[treeseer]

here in nc browning out usually due to seiridium canker. Serious disease, many victims.

Grown well they can live a long time. When I read opinions about life expectancy it's hard to believe. A professor here says willow oaks only live to 60 years or so; of course he was looking at some that get hit by cars growning in trash soil etc, dissing the nature of the species when it's the lack of nurture that does em in.