AboutJim Hyland Expertise Registered Forester in the Southern US with 30 years experiance in managing pines. Expert in pine forest health from management to control of pests to ID of species.
Question I have 5 Leyland Cypress trees that I planted (as screens) 15+ years ago. Each of the trees are 2)+ feet tall. Until a year ago, they were thick and provided exactly the privacy that I wanted. Now the trees are suddenly thinning. The small branches near the trunk are now all barren. (The "leaves" near the center have browned and are falling off of these small branches). The longer outside branches are still very green. What is going on? Will trimming help restore the trees to their previous thickness and glory?
Answer If only the inner needles are dropping then this is normal. As a conifer grows the inner needles those near the trunk are shaded and will drop. Contrary to common thinking conifers will shed older needles as the newer ones come on. As long as there is new growth on the ends of the branches the tree is OK. Do not prune the limbs any small ones that die will shed on their own. If you cut a limb of a conifer it will not grow back like a hardwood will. Do not worry about this tree.
