Leyland Cypress as a bonsai?

Redwood Ryan

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Hey everyone, I was curious as to whether or not a Leyland Cypress could be turned into a bonsai. I know they are fast growers, but was unsure if they would. Lowes has tons of them and I have been thinking about bonsai-ing one of them. Do they work? Thanks!



Ryan
 

Vance Wood

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Hey everyone, I was curious as to whether or not a Leyland Cypress could be turned into a bonsai. I know they are fast growers, but was unsure if they would. Lowes has tons of them and I have been thinking about bonsai-ing one of them. Do they work? Thanks!



Ryan

Try one and find out, if the price is not prohibitive. A lot will depend on whether the tree will back bud and develop foliage that looks in scale with the bonsai it is styled into.
 

greerhw

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The foliage is a little large, but if you plan on a big bonsai, it might work.

keep it green,
Harry
 

rockm

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Leyland cypress is pretty much considered as inferior by reputable landscapers. It is a Frankenstein tree created from two species. It is only used because it grows fast...

It has very coarse foliage that can't easily be manipulated or scale down for bonsai purposes. It's cheap though and you get what you pay for :D
 

Klytus

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I admit to prejudice against Leylandii,it's iron grip on the local gardens appalls me.
I draw no distinction between itself or it's lookalikes either,all are equally overepresented hereabouts.
One artistic horticulturalist has filled his yard with many forms of these horrible things.
As i cycle by i shudder at the thought of all these bargain basement ghastlies consuming vast tracts of suburbia,though often as some gruesome lopped specimen.

They do airlayer easily with the ringbark method.
 
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Tachigi

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Ryan,
In a word...no. Tried one early on in my bonsai adventure and it was hidious. My teacher at the time, when seeing it, woofully shook his head and walked away mumbling something about wasted time and effort.
 

Redwood Ryan

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Haha thanks everyone. So I will cross off Leyland Cypress from my list of possible candidates.
 

Klytus

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Will it be Pines or Dunkeld Larch?will it be Spruce or Christmas trees?will it be Abies,Taxodiacea?,we'll have to wait and see...
 

Redwood Ryan

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Haha I guess you guys are used to it. That was a very random clip Klytus.
 

Klytus

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So did you get back to the store?
What did they have?
Were you wary of strange looks as you poked the plant pots soil to detect taper troubles?

I see another garden has fallen to the charms of Leylandii,a brand new fence and pokng out over the top at uniform height is brace of them.

A fence and a hedge?
You can never have too much privacy,i wonder what are they hiding.

I was out yesterday examining a chalk quarry for material but i couldn't find anything that inspiring,especially as the roots seemed to be rather long and situated between fractures in the chalk.

If i had found any conifers i would be out there digging away but it was not to be.

So i cycled onwards to the next town keeping my eyes peeled for interest,it is suprising how few evergreens are in the landscape but i did see some wonderful old pines in the Gardens of a relatively new housing development.

I wondered if those houses sold for a premium because of those trees,or maybe they were just a tree in the garden.

Anyhow,i cycled on and kept my eye out for Leylandii and it wasn't long before i found the best bunch of the day brutally lopped back so people could pass without walking in the road.

The owner maybe felt that removing them altogether would have ruined his investment,who knows?

I got a bit lost on my way to the garden center that i knew was over there somewhere but was heartened by the sight of Pines.

I had arrived!

The selection was woeful,many healthy young Leylandii,a few Squamata Juniper,about three sickly looking Watereri Scots pines,a bunch of Cryptomeria,some dead stock on special offer and lastly some Picea Pungens Globosa.

I didn't want to leave empty handed so a Globosa it was.

I think i managed to select the worst one and yet spent a long time doing so.
 

AlanDC

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Hey everyone, I was curious as to whether or not a Leyland Cypress could be turned into a bonsai. I know they are fast growers, but was unsure if they would. Lowes has tons of them and I have been thinking about bonsai-ing one of them. Do they work? Thanks!



Ryan
69A86AE7-F138-4517-A394-BD59206FDFED.jpeg
 

AlanDC

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I am new to bonsai. My interest introduce me to it due to the pandemic. And my curiosity about Leland is the same with Ryan and because of the price I tried one. I don’t know if the picture will convince y’all. Does it look like bonsai? I made it this past summer.
 

AlanDC

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, , , wrong choice of pot to start with,
 

Cajunrider

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Haha thanks everyone. So I will cross off Leyland Cypress from my list of possible candidates.
Yeah. Cross it and cross it hard with a machete or something.
At one time I had 10 of those planted in my yard. I now have none. They grow fast and don't age well.
 
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