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Ligustrum ovalifolium

garden privet

Oleaceae Japan

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Drought Tolerant Fragrant (strong)Container Friendly

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterMedium · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 5–8

Overview

Ligustrum ovalifolium is a fast-growing, semi-evergreen shrub of the olive family, reaching 10-15 feet (3-4.5 m) tall but usually kept far smaller as a clipped hedge. The leaves are oval, 1.2-2.4 inches (3-6 cm) long, glossy mid-green, and held in opposite pairs on greenish twigs; in mild winters they persist, while hard frost strips them. In June and July, unclipped plants carry dense, upright panicles of small white tubular flowers with a heavy, musky scent that some find unpleasant. The flowers are followed by clusters of shiny black berries that hang into winter. All parts, especially the berries, are toxic to people and pets if eaten. It tolerates a wide range of soils, urban pollution, shade, and coastal exposure, which has made it a widely planted hedging shrub in temperate gardens. It grows quickly and needs frequent clipping to stay dense, and it self-seeds and suckers into nearby ground, naturalizing in hedgerows and woodland edges.

Native Range

Ligustrum ovalifolium is native to Japan. It has been planted across Europe, North America, and other temperate regions as a hedging shrub and has naturalized in hedgerows, scrub, and woodland edges well beyond its native range.

Suggested Uses

Grown mainly as a clipped hedge, screen, and topiary subject in gardens and urban settings, where it withstands pollution and trimming. It also serves as windbreak and boundary planting on coastal and roadside sites.

How to Identify

Recognized by glossy, oval, opposite leaves on green twigs and, on unclipped plants, upright panicles of scented white flowers in summer followed by black berries. The leaves are larger and glossier than those of wild privet Ligustrum vulgare, and the plant holds more of its foliage through winter. Clipped hedges show dense, twiggy growth to ground level.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height10' - 15'

Width/Spread8' - 12'

Reaches mature size in approximately 8 years

Colors

Flower Colors

white

Foliage Colors

green

Fall Foliage Colors

no change

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~4 weeks

Summer

Dense panicles of small white tubular flowers open in June and July on growth that has not been clipped. The scent is strong and musky. Glossy black berries follow in autumn and persist on the stems into winter.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

glossy mid-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 Range5.5 - 8.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

clay loam sand chalk

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

3-5 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grows in full sun to part shade on almost any well-drained soil and tolerates drought, urban pollution, and coastal wind once established. A soil pH from 5.5 to 8.0 suits it, and it needs no special feeding. As a hedge it is clipped two or three times between spring and early autumn to keep it dense. It grows fast and self-seeds, so it can spread into surrounding ground if berries are left. Hard frost can strip the leaves in cold winters, with regrowth in spring. It is hardy to USDA zone 5.

Pruning

Hedges are clipped two or three times from late spring to early autumn to maintain shape and density. Overgrown plants can be cut back hard in spring, as they regrow from old wood. Frequent clipping reduces flowering and removes the berries.

Pruning Schedule

late springsummer