Forestiera spp.

swamp privet

Oleaceae

Americas: southern US, Mexico, Caribbean, Central and South America

Attracts Pollinators Drought Tolerant

Native to North America

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 5–10

Overview

Forestiera spp. is a genus of about 15 species of deciduous and evergreen shrubs and small trees in the olive family (Oleaceae), native to the Americas from the southern United States through Mexico and the Caribbean to South America. Plants range from 6 to 25 feet (1.8-7.6 m) tall, with arching or stiff branches and opposite, simple leaves that vary from narrow to oval among the species. Most are dioecious, with separate male and female plants, and the small greenish-yellow flowers lack petals and open in early spring, often before the leaves expand. Female plants bear small egg-shaped drupes 0.2-0.4 inch (5-10 mm) long that ripen blue-black to dark purple and are eaten by many birds. The genus includes F. acuminata (swamp privet) of wet bottomlands, F. pubescens (elbow bush) of dry slopes, and F. neomexicana (New Mexico olive) of the Southwest. Species tolerate a wide range of conditions from swamp to desert, and several are used in hedging, screening, and wildlife plantings. Because plants are usually single-sexed, fruit forms only where both male and female plants grow together, and the flowers themselves are inconspicuous.

Native Range

Forestiera spp. is native to the Americas, ranging from the southern and southwestern United States through Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America into South America. Several species are North American natives of bottomlands, riverbanks, prairies, and desert washes.

Suggested Uses

Forestiera spp. is used for hedges, screens, windbreaks, and wildlife and habitat plantings, with the fruit drawing songbirds and the early flowers feeding pollinators. Wetland species are planted along ponds, streams, and rain gardens, while desert species suit xeric and native landscapes in the Southwest. Several are grown for bonsai and informal naturalistic plantings.

How to Identify

Recognized by opposite, simple leaves and small clusters of petalless greenish-yellow flowers that open on bare or barely leafed stems in early spring. Female plants carry small blue-black, olive-like drupes in late spring and summer. The opposite leaves, early petalless flowers, and dark single-seeded fruit place Forestiera spp. in the olive family alongside ash (Fraxinus spp.) and privet (Ligustrum spp.).

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height6' - 25'

Width/Spread6' - 20'

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~3 weeks

Spring

Flowering occurs in early spring, often February to April, before or as the leaves emerge. The small greenish-yellow flowers have no petals and are wind- and insect-pollinated, supplying early-season pollen to bees. On female plants the flowers give way to dark drupes that ripen by early summer.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 4-10 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.0 - 8.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

clay loam sand rocky

Drainageaverage

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

3-5 years to fruiting size

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Forestiera spp. grows in full sun to part shade and adapts to a wide range of soils, from wet bottomland clay to dry, rocky, alkaline ground, depending on the species. Most are drought-tolerant once established, and wetland species such as F. acuminata tolerate periodic flooding. Plants are raised from seed or softwood cuttings, and a mix of male and female plants is needed for fruit. Growth is fast, and the shrubby species resprout strongly after cutting, which suits them to hedging. They need little feeding and have few serious pests. In the open they can sucker and form thickets over time.

Pruning

Shrubby species are sheared or cut back in late winter to maintain a hedge or screen, and they resprout readily from old wood. Tree forms are trained by removing low branches and competing leaders when young. Suckers are removed to limit spread where a single specimen is wanted.