Ligustrum ovalifolium, for reasons that are not all that clear, is commonly called California privet even though it is native to Japan. It is a dense, fast-growing, deciduous (evergreen/semi-evergreen in warm winter areas) shrub that typically grows 10-15’ tall. It has over time escaped garden plantings and naturalized in many parts of the U.S. Elliptic-ovate, glossy, dark green leaves (to 2.5” long) are yellow-green beneath. Small, tubular, dull white flowers in upright panicles (to 4” long) bloom at stem tips in June-July. Flowers are very fragrant, but are considered by many to have an unpleasant aroma. Flowers give way to globe-shaped drupes which ripen to black in fall and persist into winter.
Easily grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Tolerant of a wide range of soils, except wet ones. Tolerant of urban conditions. Prune as needed immediately after flowering. If flowering is not a consideration, prune in spring. Hedges are also commonly trimmed 1-2 times in summer. Plants will naturalize by self-seeding in optimum growing conditions, and may form thickets in areas where growth is not controlled.
Genus name comes from the Latin word for privet.
Specific epithet means with oval-shaped foliage.
Variegated cultivars (e.g., ‘Aureum’ with golden leaf margins and ‘Argenteum’ with creamy white leaf margins) are popular landscape plants.
This is commonly grown as a formal or informal hedge or screen. Shrub border.
Common Name: privet
Type: Deciduous shrub
Family: Oleaceae
Native Range: Japan
Height: 10.00 to 15.00 feet
Spread: 10.00 to 15.00 feet
Bloom Time: June to July
Bloom Description: White
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Dry to medium
Maintenance: Medium
Suggested Use: Hedge, Naturalize
Flower: Showy, Fragrant
Attracts: Butterflies
Fruit: Showy
Tolerate: Drought
Easily grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Tolerant of a wide range of soils, except wet ones. Tolerant of urban conditions. Prune as needed immediately after flowering. If flowering is not a consideration, prune in spring. Hedges are also commonly trimmed 1-2 times in summer. Plants will naturalize by self-seeding in optimum growing conditions, and may form thickets in areas where growth is not controlled.
Genus name comes from the Latin word for privet.
Specific epithet means with oval-shaped foliage.
Variegated cultivars (e.g., ‘Aureum’ with golden leaf margins and ‘Argenteum’ with creamy white leaf margins) are popular landscape plants.
This is commonly grown as a formal or informal hedge or screen. Shrub border.
Common Name: privet
Type: Deciduous shrub
Family: Oleaceae
Native Range: Japan
Height: 10.00 to 15.00 feet
Spread: 10.00 to 15.00 feet
Bloom Time: June to July
Bloom Description: White
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Dry to medium
Maintenance: Medium
Suggested Use: Hedge, Naturalize
Flower: Showy, Fragrant
Attracts: Butterflies
Fruit: Showy
Tolerate: Drought