Ligustrum vulgare L.
Common Privet, European Privet| Category |
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| Shrub |
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Similar Species May be confused with the following native and/or non-native species. Landscape Alternatives lists native horticultural substitutes |
Forestiera ligustrina Symphoricarpos orbiculatus Landscape Alternatives |
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Description
Height
Multiple stemmed shrub grows 16 feet (5 m) or more.Bark
Privet bark is whitish-tan to gray in color and relatively smooth in texture with raised, light-colored lenticles (corky dots).Twigs
Slender twigs are straight, rounded or four-angled below the nodes, and gray-green in color. Long, leafy branches project out at near right angles. Young branches are minutely hairy. Leaf scars are semicircular with one bundle scar. Terminal buds are present.Leaves
Semi-evergreen to evergreen, opposite leaves are elliptic to ovate in shape with a rounded tip often minutely indented and 4-5 pairs of indistinct veins. Leaves are 0.8 to 1.6 inches (2-4 cm) long, 0.4 to 1.2 inches (1-3 cm) wide, lustrous, smooth, leathery and thick, with a glossy cuticle on upper surface. Underneath is pale green with hairy midvein. Petioles are very short.Flowers
Abundant, terminal and upper axillary clusters on short branches form panicles of white flowers in June. Corolla is a four-lobed, tube 0.06 to 0.1 inch (1.5 to 2 mm) long and equal or shorter than the lobes, with stamens inside the corolla on European privet (rather than extending beyond the corolla as with Chinese privet). Fragrant.Fruit
The blue-black, berrylike fruits contain 1-4 seeds and are borne in terminal clusters. Fruits are round to ovoid and are 0.25 inch (6-8 mm) long. The fruit clusters ripen during September and October and persist through the winter. Mature specimens can produce hundreds of fruit.Images
Photo: Nava Tabak, Invasive Plant Atlas of New England, Bugwood.orgMore images of Ligustrum vulgare
Life History
European privet, in the Oleaceae or Olive Family, is a perennial shrub that readily grows from seed or from root and stump sprouts. Privet escapes cultivation by movement of seed, which is eaten and subsequently transported by wildlife, particularly birds. The seeds are reported to have a low germination rate: 5%-27% in two tests.Habitat
Aggressive and troublesome invasives, often forming dense thickets, particularly in bottom-land forests and along fencerows, thus gaining access to forests, fields, and right-of-ways. Shade tolerant.Origin and Distribution
This privet is native to Europe and was introduced in the early to mid-1800's. It has been cultivated as an ornamental landscape plant. Other states where invasive: CT, DC, DE, IN, KY, LA, MD, MI, MS, NJ, OH, OR, PA, SC, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV. Federal or state listed as noxious weed, prohibited, invasive or banned: CT.Sources: Information on this plant page derived primarily from the Tennessee Management Manual and James H. Miller's Nonnative Invasive Plants of Southern Forests, USDA Forest Service.
Management Recommendations
Mechanical Controls
Mowing/Cutting: This method is appropriate for small initial populations or environmentally sensitive areas where herbicides cannot be used. Repeated mowing or cutting will control the spread of privet, but will not eradicate it. Stems should be cut at least once per growing season as close to ground level as possible.Hand Pulling: Privet is effectively controlled by manual removal of young seedlings. Plants should be pulled as soon as they are large enough to grasp but before they produce seeds. Seedlings are best pulled after a rain when the soil is loose. Larger stems, up to 6 cm (2.5 in), can be removed using a Weed Wrench or similar uprooting tools. The entire root must be removed since broken fragments may resprout.
Biological Controls
Privet has no known biological controls. A foliage-feeding insect native to Europe, Macrophya punctumalbum, is a known pest. Privet is also susceptible to a fungal leaf spot, Pseudocercospora ligustri, and a common root crown bacteria, Agrobacterium tumefaciens.Herbicidal Controls
Foliar Spray Method
This method should be considered for large thickets of privet where risk to non-target species is minimal. Air temperature should be above 65°F to ensure absorption of herbicides. The ideal time to treat is in late fall or early spring when many native species are dormant.Glyphosate: Apply a 2% solution of glyphosate and water plus a 0.5% non-ionic surfactant to thoroughly wet all leaves. Use a low pressure and coarse spray pattern to reduce spray-drift damage to non-target species. Glyphosate is a nonselective systemic herbicide that may kill non-target partially-sprayed plants.
Triclopyr: Apply a 2% solution of triclopyr and water plus a 0.5% non-ionic surfactant, to thoroughly wet all leaves. Use a low pressure and coarse spray pattern to reduce spray-drift damage to non-target species. Triclopyr is a selective herbicide for broadleaf species. In areas where desirable grasses are growing under or around privet triclopyr can be used without non-target damage.
Cut Stump Method
This control method should be considered when treating individual bushes or where the presence of desirable species preclude foliar application. This treatment is effective as long as the ground is not frozen.Glyphosate: Horizontally cut privet stems at or near ground level. Immediately apply a 25% solution of glyphosate and water to the cut stump making sure to cover the entire surface.
Triclopyr: Horizontally cut privet stems at or near ground level. Immediately apply a 25% solution of triclopyr and water to the cut stump making sure the entire surface is covered.
Basal Bark Method
This method is effective throughout the year as long as the ground is not frozen. Apply a mixture of 25% triclopyr and 75% horticultural oil to thebasal parts of the shrub to a height of 30-38 cm (12-15 in) from the ground. Thorough wetting is necessary for good control; spray until run-off is noticeable at the ground line.