Cypress trees come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, but when most of us think of one, we picture that iconic, slender needle-leaf tree reaching for the sky. They are the stars of the Tuscan landscape, but they can make a serious statement in our own backyards, too.
How Tall Do They Actually Get?
If you let a Cypress grow freely, it’ll eventually hit about 30 feet. How fast it reaches that peak depends mostly on its “real estate.” Mediterranean Cypresses love warm, sunny spots. You’ll also want to keep up with regular maintenance to keep them healthy; otherwise, they can quickly develop yellow or brown needles or, worse, give up on you entirely.
Pro Tip: Cypress trees in cooler climates aren’t always fully winter-hardy. To make sure yours lives a long, happy life, you’ll need to provide some extra protection during those deep freezes.
Annual Growth Rates
On average, you’re looking at a growth rate of about 15 to 28 inches per year, depending on how happy the tree is in its environment. False Cypresses are a bit more modest, growing about 12 inches annually, while Leyland Cypresses (the “hybrids”) can shoot up by over 3 feet a year! These hybrids can also get much taller than the Mediterranean variety, sometimes reaching heights of nearly 100 feet.
Because they grow so fast, make sure you give them plenty of planting space away from buildings, other trees, and especially your neighbor’s property line.
Keeping Height in Check with Pruning
Since Cypress trees are dense and evergreen, they are a fan favorite for privacy hedges. Of course, you probably don’t want a 30-foot wall around your patio! Luckily, they handle pruning really well and can easily be kept at a manageable 6 to 10 feet.
- Prune 1–2 times a year after the initial planting.
- Trim back the top shoots by about one-third.
- This usually means cutting back about 8–15 inches.
- Once the hedge reaches your goal height, just give it a maintenance trim once a year.
Potted Trees Stay Smaller
Even with the best care, a Cypress in a container won’t get nearly as big as one planted in the ground. For a tree to reach its full potential, it needs room for a long, sprawling root system, and even the biggest pot has its limits. If you want to go even smaller, you can always try growing a Cypress as a bonsai.
