| PSC 2620: Woody Trees and Shrub | Course Home | Week 3 |
Ligustrum vulgare - Privet
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| Leave are dark green, lanceolate in shape and 1-2 inches long. | Panicles of white blossoms appear in the early summer. |
Plant Description
This large deciduous shrub (12-15 feet high and 10-12 feet wide) is an excellent choice for screens and hedges. Its form is a rounded and upright, with dense dense branching and foliage at maturity. It performs best in full sun to partial sun and will tolerate drought conditions well once it is established.
The glabrous leaves are lanceolate shaped, dark green,1-2 inches long and arranged oppositely on the stem. They are retained on the stems deep into fall, at which point they darken and drop. Flowers appear on 1-3 inch long panicles in early summer. They are a pale white color and have a creamy smell. Following the flowering, 1/3 inch purple-black berries appear in clusters that persists through winter.
Although Dirr has little good to say about European Privet, it is an attractive plant for the intermountain region because of its broad adaptability to different soil and moisture types, as well as its cold-hardiness. The cultivars listed below are still readily available in commerce and remain quite popular.
Landscape Use
Excellent for a hedge or screen.
Points of interest
It is susceptible to powdery mildew and leaf spot. Twig blight is a problem elsewhere in the country but is only a minor nuisance here thanks to our dry climate.
Notable Cultivars
Lodense: Lodense Privet - A compact form of the species ideal for low hedges. The leaves are slightly smaller than the larger shrub forms of the species. Grows 4 feet high and wide.
Cheyenne: Cheyenne Privet - The upright shape makes Cheyenne perfect for large hedges. The leaves are a bit longer than those on Lodense. Grows 12-15 feet high and 5 feet wide.
