Leylandii – The Fastest Growing Conifer

Leylandii can make an excellent hedge if they are looked after properly. With this site we hope to provide information about Leylandii to help people look after their hedges without causing a nuisance to their neighbours.

Leylandii has many qualities which make it ideal as a hedge or, where space allows, as a specimen tree. It is the fastest growing conifer in the UK and is tolerant of a wide range of soil conditions including coastal areas and chalky soils. It will grow in a windy site so can provide an excellent shelter belt. Leylandii can be trimmed to a hedge of any size (we’ve kept one at 4ft/120cm tall for 25 years). As a specimen tree it has an elegant, columnar form with dense foliage.

Leylandii is also the best hedging plant at filtering out pollution including particulates from diesel engines. Planted near busy roads it can significantly reduce particulate pollution entering houses, office buildings and schools all year round. Research at The University of Sussex and The University of Southampton have shown that Leylandii is 40% better at filtering out particulate pollution than other native species such as hawthorn.

Leylandii hedge grown at Greenshutters Nurseries
A well-kept Leylandii hedge is a living wall that can:

  • Improve privacy
  • Screen off unsightly areas
  • Reduce wind
  • Reduce noise
  • Increase security
  • Filter out pollution
  • Provide shelter for wildlife
Large leylandii conifers
By trimming your leylandii hedge once a year, you can keep it to any height and width. Any hedge needs trimming at least once a year, so it doesn’t take any more effort than a native hedge and it has the advantages of being evergreen (rather than deciduous) and less prickly! When you think how many times you have to mow your lawn every summer, trimming your Leylandii hedge once a year isn’t much to ask.

If you keep a Leylandii hedge to a reasonable height, it is easier to keep at that height. If you let it grow too tall, then it becomes more difficult to trim and you need specialist equipment or a tree surgeon to bring it back to a reasonable size. Look after it from the start and you will have an excellent screen that could last for over 150 years.