The Green Rocket Leyland Cypress, Cupressocyparis leylandii 'Green Rocket,' is a handsome cultivar that is characterized by a strong central trunk, flat branches and foliage that is deep green and highly textured. A young tree will have a smooth trunk, but as it matures, the trunk takes on a more textural look with ridges and attractive flaking for visual interest. Since it achieves significant height within a fairly small footprint, the Green Rocket is perfectly suited for use as a hedge or tall privacy screen. These trees are not prone to any significant diseases and pests generally leave them alone. They need little extra care or pruning, making them a great option if you want a planting that won't take up any of your time. Here are a few other reasons to add these trees to your landscape:
Evergreen foliage provides four seasons of interest.
Tolerant of hot weather; grows well in southern states.
A fast-growing tree that will achieve considerable height quickly.
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The Green Rocket grows best in full sunlight, six or more hours of direct light a day.
Watering
Water once a week, giving your tree an inch of water each time; increase watering in dry conditions.
Fertilizing
The Green Rocket is a light feeder; fertilize lightly in spring with a product designed for landscape trees and shrubs.
Planting and Care
by Mary Van Keuren | Gardener (30+ Years Experience) – last update on November 10, 2022
Planting instructions
Site your tree in a spot that receives at least six hours of sunlight a day and in soil that drains well. Avoid placing these trees under overhead utility wires. Unpot your tree and tease out any encircling roots, which can girdle the tree and slowly kill it. Dig a hole that’s as deep as the root ball and twice as wide. Place the tree in the hole, spreading out the roots. Holding it upright and steady, fill in around the roots with topsoil, tamping down as you go to eliminate air pockets. Water thoroughly. Apply a two to three-inch layer of organic mulch such as bark chips around the root zone to conserve moisture and hinder weed growth but keep it from touching the trunk to avoid problems with rot.
Watering and nutrients
The Green Rocket cypress likes moist soil; so, it is best to water your tree about once a week, giving it an inch of water each time. If you’re not sure whether it needs water or not, dig down about two inches—if the soil is dry there, give your tree a drink. In very hot or dry weather, increase your watering. The Green Rocket doesn’t need an annual application of fertilizer, but if you want to encourage more robust growth, you can feed it in early spring with a balanced, slow-release product designed for landscape trees and shrubs.
Pollination
Cypress trees are monoecious, meaning that male and female reproductive organs are found on the same tree. Male cones release pollen in the winter months, which is scattered by wind action to pollinate the female cones.
Pruning
Although you should prune out any dead, diseased or damaged limbs when you see them, the Green Rocket needs little additional pruning. If you wish to grow your tree as a more formal hedge, however, you may prune lightly in spring.
Pests and diseases
Pests that may attack cypress trees include bagworms, spider mites and scale insects. A healthy tree can handle mild infestations on its own, but if insect pressure is severe, consider releasing beneficial insects such as ladybugs and lacewings to fight the pests. Diseases that may occur on these trees include seiridium canker, phytophthora root rot and Botryosphaeria dieback. All three of these are fungal in nature. Trees that are properly spaced are less susceptible to fungal diseases. Always water at the base of the trunk and keep the area around the root zone free of leaf litter and debris.
Achieving maximum results
One excellent way to use the Green Rocket in your landscape is to plant a row of them as a privacy screen or windbreak. Keep in mind that the mature width of these fast-growing trees is roughly 8 to 10 feet. Spacing them appropriately can help protect your trees from fungal diseases and allow them to properly grow until they reach their maximum height. To grow them as a hedge, allow a spacing of at least four to five feet between each tree. For a more porous hedge, space them 8 to 10 feet apart. It will take the trees approximately five to seven years to fill in the space between the trees.
FAQs
How big does the Green Rocket Leyland Cypress get?
A mature Green Rocket Cypress can reach a height of 25 to 35 feet, with a width of 8 to 10 feet. If planting one or more near a building, be sure to leave a spacing of at least five feet between the structure and the tree.
Where can the Green Rocket Cypress be grown?
The Green Rocket is hardy down to 0 degrees Fahrenheit, which corresponds to USDA hardiness zones 6 through 10. It is heat tolerant and grows well in southern states as far south as the Florida Keys and the southern tip of Texas. In the north, it can be grown throughout the Pacific Northwest and southern New England.
How is the Green Rocket Cypress best used in my landscape?
As we've already noted, it's an excellent choice for creating a privacy screen or windbreak. But, this versatile tree can do more. It makes a fine foundation planting, providing year-round shade to any nearby structures. It can serve as a specimen planting in a front or rear yard and is effective when planted in a grouping of three or five and surrounded by smaller flowering shrubs and trees. It's also a good choice for larger Mediterranean-themed gardens or Asian gardens.
Growing Zones: 6-10 i
Growing zones help determine if a particular plant is likely to grow well in a location. It identifies the average annual minimum winter temperatures across the U.S. provided as a map by the USDA.
(hardy down to -10°F)
Green Rocket Leyland Cypress
Cupressocyparis leylandii 'Green Rocket'
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