A Poor Choice in Plants

Ten years ago I planted many Leland Cypress trees in my yard.  They grew quickly.  They stayed bright green in the summer and winter.  They seemed to like the hot summers and cool and wet winters.  Their dense nature provided an excellent back ground screen and wind barrier. These trees, however, are prone to spider mites and cypress cancer fungal disease.  Right now I have six large Leland Cypress trees that are dead or dying of the cancer fungus.  All six trees will be removed this winter and will involve much physical effort.  

I don't recommend Leland Cypress for planting in the North Sacramento Valley.  I have found that the Arizona Cypress tree does quite well up here and shows no signs of being attacked by spider mites or the cancer fungus disease.  The Arizona Cypress does not grow as tall as the Leland Cypress, is evergreen, dense, and light grey-green in color. 

Likewise, when we choose our own hobbies and activities, for the log run, we must be careful to choose those that fit our nature, skills, age, habits, and outlook.  I love listening to music and carry around a Sony Walkman MP3 player quite often, I know that I am unsuited for learning to play a music instrument (I tried before).  At age 66, with my build and health, it would be unwise for me to take up Karate, marathon running, or mountain climbing. We need to plant the "right seeds" to cultivate in our bodies and minds.  There are always excellent alternatives and options to choose between.  
Lifestyle Advice from Wise Persons

"Leyland Cypress is light-demanding but is tolerant of high levels of pollution and salt spray. A hardy, fast-growing natural hybrid, it thrives on a variety of soils and sites are commonly planted in gardens to provide a quick boundary or shelter hedge, because of their rapid growth. Although widely used for screening, it has not been planted much for forestry purposes. In both forms of the hybrid, Leyland Cypress combines the hardiness of the Nootka or Alaska Cypress with the fast growth of the Monterey Cypress.

The tallest Leyland Cypress presently documented is about 130 ft tall and still growing. However, because their roots are relatively shallow, large leylandii tend to topple over. The shallow root structure also means that it is poorly adapted to areas with hot summers, such as the southern half of the U.S.A.. In these areas it is prone to develop cypress canker disease, which is caused by the fungus Seiridium cardinale. Canker causes extensive dieback and ultimately kills the tree. In California's Central Valley, they rarely live more than ten years before succumbing, and not much longer in southern states like Alabama. In these areas, the canker-resistant Arizona Cypress is much more successful. In Northern areas where heavy snows occur, this plant is also susceptible to broken branches and uprooting in wet, heavy snow."
-  Leland Cypress - Wikipedia

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