How to Prune the Leyland Cypress Tree

Leyland cypress trees typically need very little pruning to develop a beautiful, natural shape. Pruning is indicated only when control of its width is needed, or when weather conditions and insect problems create dead or dying branches in the tree. As with any pruning task, protective clothing, proper tools and a level of concentration are needed for a good outcome for your Leyland cypress.

Things You'll Need

• Long-handled pruning shears
• Hand saw
• Pole-handled pruning saw
• Safety glasses
• Garden gloves

Instructions

1. Study your Leyland cypress before pruning. Decide what the problem is, whether it's overcrowding, or simply deadwood that you wish to remove. Predict the shape of the tree when finished before you start.

2. Put on gloves to protect your hands, and safety glasses to protect your eyes from branches and debris. Prune with long-handled pruning saw from the bottom up on a Leyland cypress.

3. Cut away deadwood wherever you see it to increase air circulation among dense branches. Prune branches 1/2 inch from the trunk, leaving a small stub, to avoid damaging the bark of the trunk. Cut lower rungs of branches all the way around the tree to allow more light to reach ground plantings and grass.

4. Keep your hands near the ends of the shear handles to gain more leverage for cutting large-diameter branches. Use a handsaw for branches that are too thick for pruning shears.

5. Prune with a pole-handled pruning saw for the highest branches. Concentrate on your task. Predict where high branches will fall before you cut them, and be prepared to step back quickly if they fall in your direction.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not prune Leyland cypress from the top. It is not meant to be a low, formal hedge planting.

• Do not prune while standing on a ladder. Leyland cypress can grow to a height of 40 feet or more. For branches higher than 20 feet, hire a tree service with a cherry picker.

References

• Clemson University: Leyland Cypress
• University of Florida IFAS Extension: X Cupressocyparis Leylandii: Leyland Cypress
• University of California Davis: Consider the Time of Year Before Pruning Conifers

Resources

• University of Georgia: Diseases of Leyland Cypress in the Landscape
• The United States National Arboretum: Good Hedges Make Good Neighbors