Why Did My Leyland Cypress Trees Turn Brown Over Winter?

Question

We planted 15 or so Leyland Cypress trees last June. They were each 2-3 ft tall. We live in zone 5b. They were growing and flourishing until mid-February this year when they started turning brown from the top down. We do have hard winters here with low temperatures, ice, snow, and wind. It’s now the end of March and they are continuing to turn brown! Now almost the entire trees are a bright, rusty brown. What happened? Are they dead or will they recover? If Leyland Cypress can’t survive our winters, what should I plant instead?

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Answer 1

Leyland cypress is hardy to zone 6 so you may have lost them. The wind may have dessicated them. Here are some ideas for evergreens hardy to zone 5.

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/leyland-cypress/growing-leyland-cypress-trees.htm

https://www.arborday.org/trees/treeguide/treedetail.cfm?itemID=828

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/desiccation-in-plants.htm

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/gardening-by-zone/zone-5/zone-5-evergreen-trees.htm

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/gardening-by-zone/zone-5/zone-5-privacy-hedges.htm