Cypress March on England

Towering green aliens are marching across England, pitting neighbor against neighbor. Suburbanites are brandishing axes and chain saws. The government is on the brink of joining the battle. The national news media is on the scene.

What are we talking about? The American Leyland cypress (Cupressocyparis leylandii). This fast-growing, evergreen cypress tree is raising havoc in jolly old England. California home gardeners may well be familiar with the leylandii cypress. It's often used as a privacy screen or windbreak when planted between houses. However, the fact that it can grow more than five feet a year and that diseases and insects are killing leylandii cypresses in hot-weather climates, make it a great nuisance.

There's no need to tell the British about them being a nuisance either. At the crux of the leylandii problem in England is a conflict of national characteristics. Namely, the sunlight cravings of a cool, damp, northerly nation; a pride and pleasure in gardening; and a profound desire for privacy. When you add to this the conviction that a person's home is their castle, you have the makings of a neighborhood war.

In fact, the undisputed leylandii champion is a gentleman named Michael Jones. He recently wn a 6-year, $168,000 court fight against a neighbor whose 24-foot leylandii hedge left Jones without enough sunshine for a decent herbaceous border. Jones took matters onto his hedge clippers, lopping off 5 feet, then 4 feet of his neighbor's hedge. The neighbor took him to court, alleging damage and trespassing -- and ended up with a hedge reduced to 12 feet and a bill for all the court costs.

Jones' widely publicized ordeal struck a chord with other leylandii sufferers. About 2,000 Britains have since joined Hedgeline, a support group Jones established "to provide fellowship in adversity," and to convince the government that leylandii legislation is needed. The Daily Mail newspaper is waging a national campaign to bring leylandii planting under legal controls.

Now, I wouldn't recommend lopping off neighbors' hedges. However, when it comes to nuisance shrubs, I wouldn't blame you. Leylandii cypress is just one of many fast-growing specimens that can easily grow out of hand. Take eucalyptus, for example. These huge trees can grow as much as 15 feet per years, and feature brittle branches and twigs that will drop in any storm. Suffice it to say, you don't want your neighbor planting one of these 10 feet away from your house.

Specimens with so-called "running" roots are another problem. One doesn;t have to tell many cities about liquidambar trees. Planted as street trees by many municipalities, these sweet gum trees uproot curbs, break sidewalks and grow into pipes to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of damage. They should not be planted within 15 feet of any concrete or underground water/sewer line. The same goes for bamboo and many large specimen trees.

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